


started off slow

by Story_Writer



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Asexual Stiles Stilinski, BAMF Stiles, F/M, M/M, Magic!Stiles, and a summary!, but the fight is kind of, dragon - Freeform, eragon book reference, i guess?, more tags appear!, not really anything explicit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-02-03 06:48:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12743163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Story_Writer/pseuds/Story_Writer
Summary: stiles had been happy, setting up the loft for Derek's birth day... he had never guessed it would lead to a relationship with the man, especially since he was asexual... not that he wasn't happy, he was just glad that they started off slow.





	started off slow

**Author's Note:**

> question if anyone can help a clueless man out, how do you make a series? if you could help, i'd appreciate it!

Stiles smiled as he and the others set up the decorations for a birthday party. It was derek’s, about mid march. He had been able to convince the others to help him, even peter to keep derek out of the house for 2 hours while they set up. Lydia had almost instantly taken over decorations, which was fine. He wasn’t good at it anyway.

Stiles was pretty sure derek had already known about the party, if the looks he threw them as he was lead out by peter were anything to go by. But the man, bless him, didn’t say anything. Stiles knew he had a crush on the man, but he didn’t want to do anything about it. Derek had been getting better. 

Both personally and as an alpha. He helped everyone in the pack, stiles included. And not only that, he wasn’t as reserved as he had been. He was still quiet, and would prefer to listen to the others talk than join in himself, but stiles thought that was more derek’s personal personality than anything. 

It was just as stiles was putting the last thing up, a banner because it was a birthday party, that erica called out “he’s here!” she said, and everyone got into their hiding spots. 

It took 5 minutes for everyone to hide reasonably well. And when they did, the door opened, but no footsteps.

“You know i could hear you all from the parking lot, right?” derek asked rhetorically, and then there were footsteps… the man sounded amused, at least.

“You’re no fun!” erica complained. “You could have at least acted surprised!” she said, dropping on the couch. Derek smirked. 

“If you were sneakier about it, then that wouldn’t be a problem now would it?” derek asked, stiles snorted, hiding it in his hand when erica glared at him. Stiles couldn’t say he minded, erica and boyd were his probably favorite people, besides derek but then the crush thing was different than friendship. 

“Who planned this?” derek asked, looking around.

“I did, but it was stiles’s idea.” lydia said instantly, derek turned towards him.

“How did you even know when my birthday was? I don’t remember telling any of you that.” he asked, stiles smiled sheepishly. 

“My dad’s the sheriff. I just asked when your birthday was. He was hesitant at first, but told me the date.” stiles said, derek snorted.

“Of course. Well, thanks i guess.” derek said, sitting on the couch. Stiles nodded.

“I told them to keep it small.” stiles offered, as the others milled around, derek nodded.

“Thanks.” he said quietly. 

“Alright, what do we start with? Food or presents?” isaac asked, after pizza had gotten there. 

“Presents. So food doesn’t get on them.” allison spoke up. Everyone nodded. 

“Alright, who's first?” jackson asked. Everyone went, giving their presents, derek opened them, thanking everyone appropriately. He got an arrangement of clothes, and other impersonal stuff. 

“Alright, stiles! What did you get him? You’re last.” scott said, smiling. Stiles flushed, but pulled a black box out of his pocket…

“Omg he’s going to propose!” erica flailed a little, stiles scowled.

“Wrong box for that, dummy. Here.” stiles said, tossing it. “I can’t wrap stuff to save my life, sorry.” stiles said, derek just nodded. 

When he opened it, he came to a triskelion, exactly like the one on his back. But also there was a wolf wrapped around it… it was beautiful, in a weird way. Derek smiled at it.

“Thank you.” he said seriously, nodded. 

“It’s, uh, also a talisman.” stiles admitted. Derek blinked, looking back down at the necklace.

“I wasn’t aware you knew how to do such a thing.” peter said, stiles shrugged.

“Reading is power.” stiles deadpanned. Everyone blinked at him. 

“What?” scott asked, stiles snorted. 

“He means that he taught himself, nimrod.” jackson spoke up, stiles nodded. “Can we test it?” jackson asked next, flashing his golden eyes. 

“Um, if derek is okay with it sure. But maybe try with a fist before you try to claw him?” stiles offered, derek and jackson both nodded, derek slipping the necklace on. 

Jackson waited half a minute before he punched him. Derek let it happen, not stopping the attack… jackson’s fist stopped a few inches short of derek’s chest. Jackson blinked in surprised, as did most of the room. 

“Wow.” lydia spoke, eyes a little wide. “I… since when could you do this kind of thing and why are we just now finding out about it?” lydia demanded, stiles chuckled rubbing the back of his head nervously. 

“Well, um, i’ve been reading a lot of books, some i snatched from deaton’s office.” he explained, “and at first it was just to find out about different supernatural things that may or may not still exist, incase they came to town.” stiles explained, everyone nodded. “But then, like the fifth book i was going through, i found spells… i remembered deaton saying that i was a spark or some shit, so i started trying them and… talisman!” stiles said, smiling sheepishly. 

Everyone stared at him.

“So… you chose to do spells from a book you found?” derek started off slowly. Stiles sighed. 

“Derek, i’m not that stupid. I read everything first and made sure it wasn’t dangerous before i tried it.” stiles said, rolling his eyes. 

“What else have you figured out how to do?” isaac asked, attention suddenly on him… stiles sighed. 

“Um, i can make a mountain ash circle, a small fireball though i can’t aim for the life of me yet, and then, um… i can mask my scent, kind of.” stiles said, smiling. Everyone stared.

“How did you even learn that just by reading books?” derek asked, narrowing his eyes. Stiles shrugged. 

“Power of research, derek. I figure things out, magic apparently isn’t an exception.” stiles shrugged. Derek sighed but nodded.

“Fair, but… be careful practicing it, no need to make yourself even more accident prone.” derek said, that got a laugh out of everyone. 

They ate in silence, after that, the pizza still pleasantly hot. 

“I want to see you do magic.” lydia announced, after they had eaten. Stiles blinked.

“What?” he asked, she narrowed her eyes. 

“Magic. Some kind of magic. Doesn’t have to be fire, maybe the scent masking thing? That seems safe enough.” she said, stiles sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“Fine.” when it seemed the others were waiting. He had learned that magic was an innate power, and right now he only had belief to power it. He had read that sacrifices worked buuuut… he didn’t do blood, so no-thankyou. 

He thought it, and finally the magic seemed to click in place.

“The hell?!” erica demanded. 

Stiles blinked. “It worked?” he asked, grinning. Everyone nodded.

“It’s… really unsettling” scott admitted, “one minute your scent is here, the next it’s just… gone.” he added, stiles nodded, reaching in his mind until he felt his magic unclick. The pack seemed to breathe easier at that. 

“I still have a hard time believing you did it by yourself, learning to do magic.” isaac said, narrowing his eyes, “how do we know you didn’t just go to deaton for help?” isaac asked, stiles stared at him. 

“I don’t trust deaton with my life, let alone the pack’s. And the talisman thing is important.” stiles shrugged. 

No one argued that point.

Well, except scott. 

“Why don’t you trust deaton?” scott asked, furrowing his brow, stiles sighed.

“Scotty, deaton knows almost everything that’s been happening. Did you tell him?” stiles asked, scott thought about it before shaking his head slowly. “So, that means he knew what was happening, yet he did nothing to even try to help us. And when we have gone to him for help? He barely helped, he just gave us cryptic answers to help us ‘figure it out on our own’. I’m not gonna trust someone like that. I like the answer direct.” stiles said, shrugging. 

Scott scowled but didn’t comment. 

As everything was a winding down, stiles got ready to leave with everyone else. 

He was driving scott and allison, because scott’s bike only got him so far and allison wanted to ride with him, to each of their houses. Once he dropped allison off, stiles started driving to scott’s. 

“So, what’re you doing for the rest of the night?” scott asked, after a few minutes.

“I was actually thinking of going through the bestiary.” stiles shrugged. Scott furrowed his brow. 

“Why?” he asked, stiles snorted. 

“To get a better idea of what we may run into in the future.” stiles shrugged. “Wanna help me?” stiles offered, scott beamed. 

“Yeah, sure!” he agreed, “i can’t promise i’ll be able to read the different languages there.” scott said, face dropping a little bit. Stiles shook his head.

“Most of it is english, don’t worry about it.” stiles assured. “I’ll print out a copy, and give you all of the english entries.” stiles reasoned. “I know some of the languages.” he added at the skeptical look scott gave him. Scott just nodded. 

“Alright, then i’m happy to help.” scott said, nodding. 

They got to his house soon after, going up the stairs after a quick hello to his dad. Stiles printed the bestiary from the flashdrive, which he still had. 

He went through the pages. It was about even, 100 in english, 105 in varying languages, multiple ones he didn’t know but set aside to learn later…

Then he saw it, he hadn’t noticed it before but…

“No way.” stiles mumbled, holding up the page looking at it. He couldn’t read the language, he didn’t even recognize it, but…

“What, dood?” scott asked, stiles smirked, turning it so scott could see it.

 

“Dragons are real, dude!” stiles beamed. “Damn, if we meet one that would be so badass!” stiles sighed, scott looked at the page. 

“Until it burns you alive.” scott agreed. Stiles shrugged.

“Well, yeah, but… fanboy moment me won’t care.” stiles shrugged, setting that page aside with the other languages he didn’t know. He would figure it out later, that much he knew, but until then he’d go through the languages he did know- french, german, russian, archaic latin, and spanish. 

“Is there a way to use magic to translate these?’ scott asked, looking at on of the languages he and stiles didn’t know. Stiles looked at scott…

“I didn’t even think of that.” he muttered. “I’ll try it in the future.” he promised. Scott nodded, looking through the entries he was given.

“This is really freaky.” scott mumbled, half an hour later. Stiles was through about 10, scott 3. Which was fair, scott wasn’t used to this kind of thing. 

“What?” stiles asked, tilting his head. Scott shook his head.

“It’s just… all of this stuff, it’s like… it’s all probably out there, and while i think it’s really cool being a werewolf… so much stuff out there could kill me without even thinking about it.” scott sighed, shaking his head. Stiles snorted. Scott glared at him.

“Use your head, scott.” stiles reprimanded teasingly, “you’re a werewolf. You have a pack. Yes, individually you might get trumped by some of these things, but that’s why you have a pack. To make up for stuff you’re lacking.” stiles explained, scott thought about it. “Like me and lydia.” stiles mused. Scott tilted his head.

“We’re both smart.” stiles started explaining, “probably more than any of the other pack members, peter’s pretty brilliant too. But anyway, me and lydia, we’re both wicked smart, but we just don’t have the strength. So, we strategize, and you guys fight.” stiles said, shrugging.

“Yeah, but now that you’re practising magic you might be joining in on the fights now, right?” scott asked, stiles nodded.

“That’s mostly why i started learning.” stiles agreed. Scott nodded. 

“Can i see it, the other magic that you know?” scott asked, stiles thought about it. 

“How about tomorrow?” stiles offered. “The one is mountain ash, and then the fireball one, both better done outside.” stiles explained, scott nodded.

“I’m guessing i shouldn’t let the others know?” scott asked, stiles shrugged. 

“I don’t care if they know.” he admitted. “I mean, i’m doing this to help the pack, so it doesn’t matter.” stiles added, shrugging. “They’ll see it, eventually.” stiles added on last, scott stared at him.

“Then i’ll text isaac that we’re going into the woods tomorrow.” scott said, “i don’t know who else will come, but if some new thing shows up at least somebody will know.” scott explained, stiles smiled. 

“See? Your brain, scott. It helps.” stiles said, proud. Scott beamed, for a second, before a thoughtful look was on his face… then he scowled. 

“I don’t appreciate the implication.” scott muttered, stiles smiling innocently. “Don’t give me that look, you know exactly what i’m talking about.” he warned, hitting send on his text message, before setting it down… it beeped 2 minutes later. 

“What did he say?” stiles asked, scott looked down at it, before sighing. 

“He said, derek said, they were all coming with us tomorrow. They’re treating it as a group training.” scott shrugged, stiles nodded. Made since. 

“Hey! That’ll give me time to test my newest offense spell, or well more a charm.” stiles said, beaming, putting his part of the research away, pulling out his latest project- leather finger less gloves…

“Um, dood? Trying a new style sense?” scott asked, clearly confused… stiles chuckled, shaking his head.

“I’m working on a way to do some more… affirmative damage.” he held up the gloves. “When these are done, and when i put magic into them, they should send whoever i punch flying.” stiles explained, “plus, a big boost in the power there would be as me being a human.” he added, scott nodded slowly. 

“Is it safe?” scott asked, stiles shrugged. 

“One only way to find out. Practice, which will come tomorrow.” he added, turning the gloves inside out, and pulling out the exacto knife he had been using- he didn’t cut all the way through, just enough to carve into them. 

“What is that? The symbols weird.” scott commented, stiles nodded, not looking up from his work. He had the rune memorized, it wasn’t so hard to copy it. 

“It’s a rune. For ‘force’ and ‘push’ combined.” stiles explained, he saw scott nod, slowly, before he returned to his work.

The carving took, about, 10 minutes. Stiles felt a snap, not heard, and smiled down at the rune. It was done.

“Alright.” stiles beamed. “I think it’s good.” he nodded, slipping them on, after turning them right side out. He focused, pouring just a little magic into them, grinning when they glowed a vibrant red. “Hell yeah, as if i need a teacher.” stiles smirked, stopping the flow of magic. 

Scott looked at the gloves then at stiles. “How’d you even learn you had magic?” he asked. Stiles smiled. 

“Well, it started with deaton telling me i was a spark, right?” stiles said, scott nodded in understanding so far, “after that, i snagged books from him- oh!” stiles said, going to his closet and pulling a book out. “Give this to deaton when you can.” he said seriously. “But anyway, yeah, i snagged a few books on magic, and looked into them… and i found out i was a bit more than a spark. I’m not really sure… what i am? But i’m stronger than a spark though. Anyway, instead of actually needing runes, though they make it easier, i have a magic inside me that, with the right practice and focus, can be shaped.” he finished, scott thought about that…

“So like eragon, right?” scott asked, stiles blinked. “From the inheritance cycle?” scott continued, stiles beamed. He hadn’t thought of it like that.

“Yes! I’d be like one of the mages, i guess. Not bound to a dragon- a shame, but obviously- but not an elf-also, a shame, but obviously-.” stiles nodded. Scott agreed.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
They fell asleep like that, on the floor, until his dad knocked on the door. “Don’t sleep on the floor, stiles. It’ll put a crick in your neck.” his dad teased, before walking away… stiles huffed, but sat up. Scott following suit. 

“Alright, what time do we have to meet them and where?” stiles asked, yawning. Scott yawned to, looking at his phone’s clock…

“2 hours, old hales house.” he said, stiles nodded. “Shower and breakfast first?” scott asked, stiles snorted.

“Obviously.” he agreed. 

They took turns in the bathroom, stiles was glad that being a werewolf didn’t bulk scott out too much, it meant he could borrow clothes since he didn’t have a clean set there. 

After that, they stopped at mcdonalds and got a few sandwiches and stuff for themselves, and everyone really but they wouldn’t know that.

When they got there everyone was, surprisingly, there already. Stiles was glad he remembered his gloves, he was stoked to try them. 

When they pulled up, the food seemed to attract all of the wolves. 

“Food?” erica asked, stiles smirked. 

“For me and scott. Should’ve been better prepared, catwomen.” stiles teased, erica glared, as stiles gave scott his order. “Just kidden, reyes.” he said, tossing her sausage egg and cheese biscuit, hashbrown and a handed her a drink, because yes he remembered those. 

As everyone got their food, and at on or around the vehicles, lydia spoke up.

“So what kind of thing were you going to show scott?” lydia asked, stiles finished swallowing first. 

One only spoke once with food in their mouths around lydia martin… 

It wasn’t something you forgot.

He pulled out the gloves, everyone eyed them.

“I wouldn’t take you for a goth kid, stiles… good job, it’s at least a step away from plaid, not up but away.” lydia nodded, approvingly. 

Stiles snorted. “No, i carved runes into these, made sure they were ready to try.” stiles explained, lydia nodded. 

“Well, let’s see it!” erica demanded, shoving the rest of her food in her mouth a minute later, stiles snorted.

“After i’m done eating.” stiles said, pointedly taking a slow bite… erica glared, almost growled it looked like, but sat back down. 

“What do they do, at least? Before erica starts actually bouncing all over the place?” derek asked, stiles sighed. 

“They’re… i would relate them to a power boost, i guess. My magic, when i let them go into the gloves, will make my attacks, at least for my hands, more powerful… i’m working on some kind of shoe to let me keep up while running with you guys.” stiles said, shrugging. 

“It still amazes me that you are able to figure this stuff out without an instructor.” peter mused. Stiles shrugged. 

“I’m just that good.” he said, getting a few chuckles. 

They ate in relative silence after that. And then, as the last of food disappeared down stiles’s gullet, erica was pulling him away from everyone else. 

“Alright! Let’s get to it!” she said excitedly. 

“Cramps?” stiles said, just to be difficult. 

“That’s not gonna happen and you know it.” lydia spoke, stiles sighed. Damnit, smart people. 

Stiles acquisited and let himself be led. 

“So.” stiles said, as he pulled on his gloves, “what first?” he asked. 

“Punch a tree?” isaac suggested, everyone turned to him… he blushed. “You, um, said you didn’t know if it would work, right? Better to find out what it will do on a tree instead of accidentally knocking us apart, right?” he explained, stiles thought about it… true. 

“Good point.” he agreed, talking to the tree line, aware of everyone following him… he let his magic flow into the gloves, or more specifically the runes in the gloves. They glowed, and he heard maybe lydia’s intake of breath. 

He sighed, before snapping his hand forward at the tree, he expected it to hurt, punching a tree and all that… and it did because, well, he was human. Punching a werewolf hurt, hitting a tree obviously would too. 

But what he didn’t expect was for the tree to shatter into splinters… stiles stared, mouth agape, and eyes wide… 

“Holy shit!” scott exclaimed, stiles beamed. It actually fucking worked!

He turned around, smiling wide. 

“So, it is way more powerful than i thought it would be.” stiles admitted, smiling sheepishly at the flabbergasted looks he got. 

“Wha- i- what?!” jackson demanded, stiles shrugged, holding his hands up in surrender, remembering to stop the flow of magic. His gloves dulled. 

“Hey, i’m just as surprised dude.” stiles admitted. “I’ll learn to control it, i promise.” he added, derek nodded.

“Do that.” he agreed. “Until then, sparring! Usual pairs for today, peter come on.” derek instructed, everyone nodded, going off into their pairs- scott jackson and isaac all fought each other, erica and boyd then faced each other. Peter and derek both faced off and started. It was vicious, like holy damn.

“Alright, stilinski.” lydia spoke up. “Let’s see what else you can do.” she intrusted. “Can it help you lift stuff at all?” lydia asked, stiles shrugged walking over to yet another tree, let his magic flow into the runes, and gripped the tree as well as he could… it lift out of the ground… stiles beamed again. He was going to have so much fun with these gloves, once he learned to control them better.

“Fucking hell, stiles! Stop destroying the forest!” derek demanded, stiles raised an eyebrow at him, looking at the tree he still held… before smirking.

“I mean, it’s either trees or the ground, do you want to discuss missing trees or deep holes in the ground?” stiles asked, raising an eyebrow, derek sighed but went back to his sparring with peter. 

Stiles chuckled, before chucking the tree about 100 paces into the forest, less suspicious and no chance of it hitting something or someone, since all it hit was a rock… which roared, loudly, at being hit… 

“See what i told you?!” derek demanded, suddenly right there as the rock got up, but it wasn’t a rock obviously. It stood up, grey surface shifting to mostly red... 

“Holy shit.” stiles muttered quietly. 

“What?! What is it?!” isaac asked, a little panicked. 

“Dude, it’s a fuckin DRAGON!” stiles shouted, geeking out a little bit. 

“Wow.” scott muttered, “he wasn’t lying when he said his geek boy moment wouldn’t care about dying.” he added as the dragon jumped, landing between them and the old hale house, and the cars included. Stiles was at the front of the now, which good. He had a few more tricks up his sleeve, unperfected, unpracticed tricks… but tricks nonetheless. 

“Which one of you hit me?” the dragon snarled, stiles blinked up at it… that was new, the dragon actually spoke to them. Supernatural baddies talking to them was new… 

“Um, that would be me.” stiles offered, walking so the dragon followed his movement, away from the pack if it decided to attack. “I did not mean to hit you, oh mighty dragon.” stiles offered, hands up in a hopefully placating looking gesture. The dragon eyed him, the pack looked like they were holding their breaths. 

“You’re human but…” the dragon trailed off, leaning down so they were eye level… how nice of it, and sniffing him… he saw the pack tense, derek looking ready to attack. “Your magical scent is stronger than your human one.” the dragon commented, stiles stared at it…

“I was just performing magic.” stiles said slowly, looking at the dragon’s face for any sign of approaching attack… but then he didn’t read dragon body language. “That might have affected it?” he offered. The dragon hummed, seemingly content to lay down… not like they could do much. It was a dragon, after all. 

“So, you are the one that through a tree at me? And not one of your wolves?” the dragon asked, head still level with them, or more him. 

“Uh, yeah. I used these thing.” stiles admitted taking off a glove, not both just incase. The dragon sniffed it, snorting… or sneezing, maybe.

“That it… heavy with magic.” the dragon rumbled, but it sounded… pleased? 

“Um, i guess? They are small gloves, and i guess i had to use a lot of magic to pick up the tree and shatter the other one.” stiles agreed. The dragon continued to hum, as if amused by something… it flicked its tail, and sent derek, jackson, boyd and peter flying… holy fuck. 

“Guys! Can we not piss off the giant, flying, fire breathing lizard?! He hasn’t killed us yet, and i’d like to keep it that way.” stiles reprimanded. The wolves stared at him, but just nodded.

“Lizard?” the dragon said, licking his chops. Stiles winced, damnit…

“Um, sorry?” stiles offered, the dragon chuckled. 

“At least you have manners. I don’t think i shall kill any of you this day.” the dragon hummed. “What is your pack’s name, human? And yours, if i might ask.” the dragon asked, stiles thought about it, looking at derek who nodded. 

“This is the hale pack.” stiles started with, “my name is stiles stilinski.” stiles said next. The dragon hummed. “And what is your name, mighty dragon?” stiles tested, the dragon snorted.

“While i do enjoy the flattery, little one. I do not appreciate the sarcastic undertone.” the dragon deadpanned… stiles shrugged. “My name, in your tongue, is thorn.” the dragon hummed. Stiles shared a smile with scott, before turning back to the dragon.

“Alright.” stiles nodded. “Can i ask why a dragon such as yourself found his way to beacon hills preserve?” stiles asked, the dragon eyed him.

“Does it matter why i am here, little one, as long as i do not mean you and your pack harm?” thorn asked, stiles thought about it.

“Yes, it does.” stiles finally nodded. “Though i am appreciative you don’t mean to hurt us. But. a dragon, i’m sure, is a magnet for all kinds of hunters, or other creatures such as witches and the like, trying to get you on their side. Or just control you, if they are that stupid to try.” stiles said, thorn snorted. “I don’t think we need to ask you to leave, hell i am pretty sure we can’t force you out so that’s up to you, but i think i, and the pack especially derek who seems to be seething, would like a warning or reassurance as to whether or not something is coming our way.” stiles spoke, serious, the pack was quiet, even derek seemed to calm down slightly. Thorn was eying him curiously.

“You act like an alpha, young one.” thorn said, sounding amused. “You need not worry, for the time being, about things such as witches coming here. There was a coven that, yes, tried to control me. But i have already dispatched of them. Anything new that shows up i could not tell you yet. But if it does seem danger come to your pack, i will let you know, somehow.” thorn promised. Stiles nodded, pleased with the answer… derek wasn’t, though.

He walked, putting himself in front of stiles and facing thorn.

“What brought you here?” he demanded. “Why are you here?” he added. Thorn eyed him, and stiles thought that he saw one of the large eyes flick to him briefly… 

“Ah, so that is why he acts of an alpha.” thorn hummed, derek growled low in his throat. “As for why i am here, my birth parents said it was time for me to leave, so i did. I did not know why, it is not uncommon, in this day and age, for dragons to simply stay in their families. But they are my parents, so i listened and left.” thorn said, lowering down over derek towards stiles. “The mate of the alpha is a special title, especially for one so young. Bare it proudly.” thorn said, before pushing off with his wings, wind shooting out, almost knocking stiles over, and most of the betas. 

Stiles, though, was confused… and a little mad… and overall embarrassed. “What?” stiles asked quietly, but thorn was already gone, and the betas, even creeper peter, were looking between him and derek, derek was scowling at the dirt… good, that made for an easy escaped.

He was at the jeep in a second, before scott called out his name. “Dude, where are you going?” he asked, stiles sighed. 

“Home, i can’t deal with this right now scott.” stiles muttered, the excitement of meeting a dragon overshadowed by this… 

He started the jeep, and floored it out of there, heading right home.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Derek scowled at the dirt as the betas gathered around him.

“Well, he took that rather well.” peter mused, derek growled. 

“Shut up peter.” he growled. 

“Would’ve been better coming from you, but we both know you wouldn’t have done that.” peter continued, unperturbed. “What do you plan on doing now, derek?” peter asked, derek growled. 

“Nothing. He left, it’s clear he doesn’t want me like that.” derek muttered, peter scoffed.

Derek glared. “You can not be that naive, nephew. I know you are still new to this alpha stuff, but surely you are not that dense. He left because it took a god damned dragon telling him to find out. I bet you, 20 dollars, the first thought that went through his head was that ‘why couldn’t he just tell me himself?” peter spoke, derek stared.

“Why do you even care?” derek muttered, peter sighed. 

“Because, you are my nephew. I know, you may not believe that i care about you, but i do. I went crazy, and killed my niece. Something i cannot take back no matter how i wish i could. But i refuse to watch as you throw away something we both know your parents would scold you for being stupid about.” peter said, “not to mention, you are my alpha. And this will make you significantly happier.” peter added. “Listen or not, i suppose i can not make you, but i have spoken my 2 cents.” peter said, before walking into the woods. Derek stared after him, eyes wide in surprise.

“As much as i hate to say it.” scott said, turning from where he had called out to stiles, “he’s right.” scott spoke, derek scowled as the betas agreed. 

“So what do you expect me to do? Go over there, throw myself at him?” derek challenged, surprised when scott’s eyes flashed a bright gold. 

“No. you won’t do that, though stiles will be the one to explain why. I don’t know what kind of patience you have, but being in a relationship with stiles isn’t going to be easy.” scott, too, then, ran off, since stiles had been his ride… derek scowled. 

“The fuck’s wrong with mccall?” jackson asked, after a beat. Derek sighed. 

“We’re clearly not going to get more training done, you all go on home isaac, drive the camaro home.” derek said, tossing the keys to the lanky teen. Isaac nodded.

“You going to stiles, then?” lydia asked, clearly approvingly. 

Derek sighed, running a hand over his face. 

“At the very least, he deserves an explanation.” derek agreed, lydia nodded approvingly moving with the betas to the cars, as they left, derek sighed. Why did his life have to be so difficult? 

He ran to stiles’s house. He could hear the teens heartbeat in his room, so he jumped up to the window sill and knocked, he heard stiles flail, knocking something over, before his face appeared in derek’s line of sight. Stiles scowled. 

“What do you want?” stiles asked, opening the window… derek didn’t like the tone in his voice, but at least he had opened the window for him, he climbed in a second later. 

“About what thorn said.” derek said, sighing. Stiles tensed at the mention.

“Yea, mates.” he said, clearly uncomfortable. “What, uh… what does that mean, exactly?” stiles asked, derek nodded, expecting the question.

“Werewolves have two halves, ok? An human, and a wolf half. We’re each half all the time, whether as human, beta shift, or full shift. It’s always 50/50, ok?’ derek said, stiles nodded. “Well, for relationships… it’s a bit more complicated for werewolves. Because while the human side can latch onto someone they like, the wolf can hate them, and vice versa obviously… um, both me and uh, my wolf, fell for you.” derek finished, mumbling the last part… stiles stared at him, before gulping.

“When, um… when did this… when?” he asked, derek sighed, running a hand down his face.

“After the night in the pool.” derek admitted quietly. Stiles felt himself nod slowly, before something kind of awful came into mind…

“This isn’t some kind of, like, hero thing right?” stiles asked quietly. Derek stared at him, before smiling.

“I’m sure.” he assured, “that it isn’t that, ok?” he added, stiles nodded, slightly relieved. 

“Ok, so… we’re mates. What… what happens now?” stiles asks, quietly. Derek sighed, running a hand over his face.

“I’d… i’d like to try a relationship with you, but i also understand that i haven’t been the nicest person to you. So, if you want i understand if you tell me to fuck off.” derek said seriously, stiles, the bastard, laughed at that.

It was nervous, a little, but mostly genuine. 

“You weren’t that bad.” stiles said, derek blinked. “You did what you did to help your pack, i get it. Kind of.” stiles shrugged. Derek nodded. 

“Yeah, but that doesn’t explain shoving you around.” derek sighed. “You’ve been helping me from the get go. Even before scott accepted me, kind of, as his alpha. It might’ve been selfish, kind of, but you helped me though. And i repaid it with violence.” derek said, he had, after realizing he and his wolf really liked stiles, hated himself for that.

“It’s ok.” stiles said, quietly. “We barely knew each other, ok? It’s ok. Now, relationship…” stiles said, hesitating… derek blinked, accepting the topic change confusedly. 

“We don’t have to do anything with it.” derek said, hastily. Stiles shook his head. 

“No no, it’s ok. Just… i mean, i think this will be important in the future… and it’s, uh… kind of a deal breaker i guess?” stiles admitted, shifting uncomfortably. 

“Oh, ok.” derek said, not really sure he understood. “What is it?” he asked, after a minute. Stiles coughed, looking away from derek. 

“I’m, uh… asexual.” stiles said, quietly, as if ashamed by that… derek stared, wide eyed. He had never thought… fuck.

“That’s fine!” derek assured. He didn’t much of a sex drive after kate anyway, so that didn’t matter. “Mates aren’t all about sex, stiles. It’s about being close to the one person you care about most.” he explained, stiles nodded. 

“Alright.” he said. Derek hesitated.

“I… is there anything you’re really, like, against being asexual?” derek asked, he was at a loss here, “i mean, obviously no sex which is fine, but i mean, any boundaries i should know not to push?” derek asked, because he could really use a hand out here. 

Stiles shook his head. 

“And it’s not like, um, sex isn’t an option.” stiles started, “it’s just… don’t expect it every night or whatever. I have a sex drive, kind of. It’s just… i don’t really care about it. I’m not sex repulsed or anything, trust me if i was scott and allison would be sharing stories of how i puked on them. They really need to get a room.” stiles said, teasingly, derek nodded.

“Yeah, i understand.” derek nodded. “After… you probably know about the fire and all, being the sheriff’s son, but… after kate, i don’t have a big sex drive. It’s been six years, i don’t see it magically coming back.” derek said, shrugging. Stiles nodded slowly. 

He looked nervous about something, but derek didn’t know what. 

“What’s wrong? Is there something else?” derek asked, stiles sighed. 

“Uh, yeah.” he admitted, “i, um, think we should tell my dad, you know, about everything.” stiles said, derek blinked.

“I thought you wanted to keep him out of it?” derek asked, stiles nodded.

“I did, i do. But… if we get serious about this, and i think we will, i’d like for him to not shoot you, as ineffective as it might be. And, plus, i’d like to not get you arrested… again.” stiles explained, derek thought about it, before nodding.

“Ok.” he agreed. “Is he home now?” derek asked, realizing the slip up. Stiles smirked at that.

“You’re the werewolf, you tell me.” stiles teased. Derek nodded, listening… oh shit.

Derek paled, slightly. The sheriff was… on the other side of the door. 

“What?” stiles asked, worriedly. Derek gulped. 

“Uh, i think your dad might know.” derek admitted. Stiles tilted his head in confusion, but the door opened before he could comment. 

“Was wondering when you would say something, hale.” the sheriff said, seemingly amused. Stiles blinked. 

“Wait…” stiles said, “you knew?” derek asked, at the same time, the sheriff chuckled.

“My wife and i were friends with your parents, hale. Of course i knew.” he said easily, leaning against the door frame. 

“So you heard about, um.” stiles gestured between himself and derek. The sheriff chuckled again. 

“Of course i did. And, i have to say, i don’t like the age difference.” he said, derek gulped but the sheriff wasn’t done, “but i also remember that these things don’t happen unless both parties are into it. Talia explained that to me. So, i’ll give it my blessing…” the sheriff left after that, calling “come down stairs and we can order something in.” 

“So… your dad knows.” derek said, still a little dumbfounded at how easily that went. Stiles chuckled. 

“Yeah, though i would never have guessed he knew about you guys already, i wonder what he’ll say about dragons.” stiles mused. Derek chuckled. 

“I have no idea.” he admitted, as they walked down stairs… it was a good day.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Stiles didn’t know what to expect of the next week after the reveal about him and derek being mates. He knew he didn’t like sex. He wasn’t repulsed by it, but it wasn’t something he was keen to try. 

But derek didn’t seem to have a problem with it thankfully. Derek had left after dinner, from a pointed look from his dad, and now it was a week later. 

Stiles saw the pack in school, and no one commented on anything thankfully.

Thorn, the dragon, had been taken with a surprised look from his dad, and a muttered ‘of course those would be real too’. The next training, later that day, would take place in the same spot, and hopefully thorn would come back, because stiles had the papers on dragons fro mthe bestiary and really, really wanted to know if the weird words were a dragon language… 

He drove to the house, happy. They were meeting at 10, an hour later than usual, but whatever. 

When he got there, nly derek was there so far.

“Hey.” stiles greeted, derek smiled.

“Hey.” he responded, hugging stiles close when he was out of the jeep. It was a werewolf thing, stiles knew. Which was cool. He didn’t like sex, but cuddles were the best. “I have something planned for today, after training, if you were interested in going on a date.” derek said, stiles smiled. 

“Sounds good.” he agreed, “do i get to know what it is, or is it a secret?” stiles asked, only slightly teasingly. 

“It’s just dinner honestly, but i figure it would be easier to do something simpler like that until we know what each other are ok with, surprise wise anyway.” derek explained. “The reservations are made, we just need to be there by 5 o’clock.” derek added, stiles nodded, kind of excited.

“Ah, so you did take my advice, dear nephew.” derek sighed at the voice, holding stiles close still when he jumped. 

“Shut up peter.” derek grumbled. Stiles raised an eyebrow when derek let him go, albeit hesitantly. 

“What advice?” stiles asked, derek sighed.

“He advised it would be smarter to go talk to you instead of…” 

“Brooding?” stiles and peter spoke as one, stiles had to hide a smirk behind his hand, peter had no problems grinning. 

Derek sighed, but ignored them as the others came up to the house in different vehicles. 

“So, you two together now?” lydia asked, not even trying for tact as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. Derek and stiles both sighed as one… it was kind of funny, to stiles anyway.

“Yes, we are. And no, lydia, erica and allison. It is not any of your business.” derek said, stiles hadn’t even noticed that allison was there that time… 

Lydia rolled her eyes. “Sure sure, now stiles do you have any more magic you wanna test out?” lydia asked, stiles beamed. He was happy about the two things that he was pretty sure he had perfected. A defencive one, and a healing spell. Both didn’t need runes or anything, just his will.

So far.

“Yeah, actually.” stiles replied. “I’d like to see if this barrier spell works, first, then i was working on healing.” stiles explained, lydia nodded.

“Why healing?” isaac asked, stiles snorted.

“Human.” stiles said, gesturing to himself, “human.” he said pointing to lydia, “and human.” he said pointing to allison. “We don’t heal like you guys, so i thought we should have a way to heal faster… this is for that.” stiles explained. Isaac, and all of the wolves, nodded.

“Alright, so testing.” lydia said, holding her arm out to jackson. “Cut me.” she demanded, much to the surprise of everyone.

“What?! No!” jackson protested, lydia stared at him.

“We need to see if it will work.” she said simply, jackson grumbled but popped a claw and cut a small line on her forearm. 

Stiles approach, reaching for his magic. 

“Alright, when i did it on myself it tingled, like totally weird feeling, so don’t twitch, ok? I’m not sure what that would do.” stiles instructed. Lydia nodded. Stiles sighed, let the magic which he felt and believed to be healing magic work after place a hand on lydia’s arm. 

The cut knitted together before their eyes, because of course they all gathered around to watch. 

“That’s cool.” allison said, everyone agreeing. 

“So this barrier spell, what’s it supposed to do?” derek asked, stiles smiled. 

“Block physical attacks. I’m not sure about magical, cause well i don’t have a way to practice that, but it should block and knock the attacker back. No damage done, just knocking you back.” stiles explained. Derek nodded. 

“Alright, so one of you guys attack me.” stiles said, striding over about 20 feet. Turning and getting his magic ready. He expected jackson to do it, maybe even scott or isaac. He did not expect it to be erica who jumped at him, wolfed out. Stiles threw up his hands, sending erica flying with the force of the barrier going up. 

She hit it, and went flying.

Stiles smirked at the others. The other snarled, showing teeth, and charged too… stiles did not expect that, but he held the barrier up, and they continued to get thrown back. Soon, after 20 minutes, it was just peter and derek standing, the others groaning sitting up.

“You two wanna give it a try?” stiles smirked, facing them, peter snorted. 

“I believe it was made evident that these kinds of attacks won’t work, is there really a reason to continue?” peter asked, stiles snorted.

“I don’t know, i’m kinda bored.” stiles shrugged. “Think you can keep up, old man?” stiles snarked, peter growled, eyes flashing blue before he rushed forward, derek actually joining in.

Stiles, behind his back, slipped on one of his power gloves. He had worked on control, and was confident he had it mostly under control. 

Peter reached him first, having been the first one to rush, and stiles used the barrier again, sending him a good 40 feet back though the older beta was able to keep on his feet and was rushing forward again. Stiles shifted his focus to derek, bringing his other hand out, derek’s eyes widened, but he went back farther than peter, getting up instantly but looking dazed. Peter was there, stiles dropped to the ground when peter swiped at him, hitting the older beta’s legs sending him down hard, stiles got up fast, backing away.

Peter seemed dazed, but one could never be too careful with werewolves. 

Of course, he stepped back into muscle… 

“How the hell?!” stiles demanded, sighing when two strong arms wrapped around him, not deadly, but enough to keep him in place.

“Alpha secret.” derek said easily, stiles just nodded. “You learned to control your gloves, i see.” he added, stiles nodded.

“Yeah, i’ve been practicing.” stiles agreed. 

“Why do i feel like this is cheating, magic against werewolves?” scott protested, rubbing his arm which, while it looked healed mostly, had a slowly fading bruise… 

“Dude, you’re a werewolf. You heal almost instantly from ninety percent of anything i would throw at you. Fire excluded, of course. Not to mention you’re faster, stronger physically. Me having magic just levels the playing field, deal with it.” stiles shot back. Scott grumbled, but was interrupted by the sound of wings, and wind that actually did send isaac and erica, who were just not bothering to get up, down again. 

Stiles looked up, beaming when he saw it was thorn. 

“Hey big guy!” stiles called, though he couldn’t wave cause he was still being held tightly by derek. “What brings you here?” he asked, when it seemed derek wouldn’t let go. 

“I told you i would tell you if something was approaching, did i not?” thorn asked, seemingly amused. “Though, i must say, it was most amusing to watch you fight the wolves. It is a joy to see a werewolf tossed away so easily.” he added. Stiles snorted, as derek finally let go.

“Yeah, it is.” he agreed, ignoring the annoyed growls from the wolves, and derek still behind him. “So, what’s coming after us?” stiles asked, thorn was quiet for a moment before speaking. 

“Vampires, little one. Or, more specifically, two. If it was a whole coven of them, i would assist you, perhaps. Your wolf pack would not have been able to put a dent in them. But, there is only two. You should be able to take care of them.” thorn spoke, stiles blinked.

“You shouldn’t underestimate a wolf.” stiles said, “and the vampires… how do we kill them? Wooden stake through the heart? Holy water? Break their necks and light em on fire like twilight? “ stiles asked, thorn laughed again, a booming sound. 

“All you must do is kill them, as you would a human. Rip their heart out, take off their head it does not matter.” thorn nodded. “Though, i warn you, these two vampires are strong. They should not be able to last in daylight, yet they travel as if it does not affect them. Be careful.” thorn said, getting ready to take off.

“Wait!” stiles said hastily, thorn dropped back to the ground tilting his head at stiles.

“I have some documents, they’re written in a language i don’t understand, and i was curious if you could see if it is a dragon language?” stiles asked, thorn snorted but complied and layed back down. 

Stiles ran to get the papers, 3 of them, and brought them back. The language was still really strange, but he hoped light would be shed on it. 

“Ok… i didn’t think of this.” stiles admitted, deflated. There was no way thorn would be able to see the paper… well, with his size, let alone what was written on the paper. 

“I have a solution, but you have to remain calm, understand?” thorn asked, stiles nodded slowly, before a new presence was introduced to his mind. He blinked at the dragon, but relaxed. He didn’t think thorn would hurt him. 

Stiles felt like two people were looking out of his eyes, so he looked down at the papers in his hand, he heard thorn snort from where he sat but the presence didn’t go away. 

“Yes, this is the language of dragon.” thorn nodded, in his head which was weird that he could tell.

“Can you translate it?” stiles asked, thorn nodded in real life, the presence disappearing. 

“I could, yes. But i believe you would enjoy it more if i simply taught you the language.” thorn said, clearly amused at stiles’s whoop of joy. 

“Why do you offer help so easily, thorn?” derek asked, tilting his head. Thorn chuckled.

“For one like me, who will live for many more generations, it does get boring after awhile. And, well, your magic friend here has peeked my interest, so i’ve decided to help you. Alpha hale.” thorn spoke easily, which made since. A dragon probably wouldn’t help someone for any other reason. “I will come again to your next training session, stiles. Until then, farewell.” and with that, he was gone. 

“I still can’t get over the fact dragons are real.” isaac spoke, and just like that the tension was gone and they returned to training.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
They trained for, about, 4 hours. It brought them to about 3 o’clock. Stiles worked on making barriers and using his gloves, having allison and lydia throw rocks at him so the wolves could do their thing. 

“Hey, stiles. Maybe you should learn hand to hand combat.” allison said, towards the end of the lesson. Stiles tilted his head.

“I know how to defend myself.” he defended himself, allison nodded.

“Yeah, obviously. But you’re not a wolf. You can’t fight on instinct and everything else settle in place. Humans don’t work like that. My dad could teach you?” allison offered, stiles grimaced. 

“I’ll think about it. My dad just hired a new deputy, parrish i think, and he’s pretty good at hand to hand.” stiles said, nodding. 

“Wouldn’t chris be better to teach you? He knows how to fight werewolves and other supernatural creatures, after all.” lydia spoke up, stiles grimaced again.

“Fine. if you can talk him into it, though.” he said, unable to protest against solid reasoning. 

“He will. I learn from him too, so it would probably be just me and you sparring and him advising, anyway.” allison said, stiles nodded. 

“Alright, text me when and where.” he nodded, allison smiled nodding back, before lobbing a rock at him, he knocked it aside easily enough.

A half hour later, they were done, leaving him and derek alone by the burnt down house. 

“I’m gonna go home and shower.” stiles said, “do you want me to meet you somewhere, or pick me up?” stiles asked, derek seemed to think about it.

“I’ll pick you up.” derek nodded. Stiles smiled, pecking him on the cheek cause he was allowed to do that now, and got in the jeep. He drove off with a final wave to derek and a ‘see you later’.

The drive home, as always, was short-ish. Length wise, it was long, but no traffic, hardly ever, so it wasn’t that bad…

When he pulled up to the house, he wanted to say he was surprised to see lydia erica and allison there, on the porch. But really, he wasn’t… 

Much.

He sighed, but got out and walked up to the house. The three girls beamed at him.

“No.” he said simply.

“What do you mean no? No to what?” lydia asked, stiles snorted.

“I’m not letting you dress me up for my date with derek.” stiles said, amused when the three girls looked surprised. 

“What? Why not?! Don’t you wanna get in his pants tonight?” erica teased. “Can’t do that with plaid, stiles. Sorry.” she added, stiles snorted. 

“First off, i wasn’t going to wear plaid on our date. I’m not completely incompetent.” stiles started with, “and second, no i don’t wanna get in his pants.” he added, unlocking the door, and walking in… he didn’t bother closing it, they would get in if they wanted. 

“What?!” they all said, at once. 

“I mean, i love scott, i do. But… derek is a hunk.” allison said. “How can you not want to climb him like a tree?” allison asked, stiles spluttered on his way up the stairs. 

“Allison, what the hell?!” stiles said, because of the three of them allison was the last one he expected to say that kind of thing. 

“Answer the question, stilinski. What’s going on in that dumb genious brain of yours?” lydia asked, tapping his temple… stiles sighed. 

“I’m asexual.” he said simply, going through his clothes once in his room. He wouldn’t let the girls dress him up, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to make an effort. He pulled out black jeans-not skinny, he hated them- and a red t-shirt, along with a black over shirt. 

He turned around to see all three of them staring at him. “What?” he asked.

“You’re asexual? But scott says you lusted after lydia for, like, years.” allison said, brow furrowed. Stiles shrugged.

“Wasn’t lust.” stiles muttered. “I really respected her brilliance, still do. And back then, i thought ‘hey, she’s hot, and a genius.’ i’m asexual, i still have eyes.” stiles sad, rolling said eyes. “I can still admit someone looks good, i just… don’t get aroused by it.” he said, knowing full well he was blushing. 

“And derek?” lydia asked, stiles blinked. 

“And derek what?” stiles asked, lydia sighed.

“How did he take it? You telling him you’re asexual?” allison clarified. Stiles smiled, a little bit, at that.

“He understood.” stiles admitted, still smiling. “And he said it was fine. So, yeah.” it was still kind of surprising. Stiles had liked derek for a while, but the hanging veil of his sexuality made him hesitant. 

It was nice to know his fears were unfounded. 

“I’ll be right back!” he said, slipping into the bathroom. He showered quickly, then changed. He contemplated doing his hair, but he was useless at that type of thing, so he let it be. 

When he walked back in, lydia smiled approvingly. 

“Not great, but for you stilinski it’s good.” lydia said, nodding. The others nodded too. Stiles just snorted.

“Well, he’s going to be here soon, so sorry to make this sound harsh but… have a good night, ladies.” stiles said, smiling sheepishly. Lydia, as well as erica and allison, snorted but complied, leaving easily enough.

As they were going, derek pulled up. Stiles was out the door before the girls, so they couldn’t say anything, and slid into the passenger seat of the camaro.

“Why are those three here? Did something happen?’ derek asked, stiles chuckled.

“Yeah, 3 teenage girls found out their gay friend was going on a date. Did you expect them to keep quiet?” stiles smirked, as derek pulled out onto the street. Derek snorted.

“I told them it was none of their business.” derek muttered, stiles chuckled. 

“Well, i don’t know if it helps, but i valiantly didn’t let them dress me up like a ken doll.” stiles spoke, derek stared at him, before turning back to the road, laughing his ass off… 

“Oh, god.” derek muttered. “It’s a relief though, i guess.” derek said, still chuckling. 

“What is?” stiles asked, tilting his head. Derek chuckled. 

“That you didn’t let them dress you up. I don’t want you thinking you have to change who you are just because we’re in a relationship. My wolf fell for who you are, as did i.” derek said, seriously… stiles stared, gulping slowly.

“Ok.” he said, quietly. He couldn’t think of a proper response, so he just took derek’s hand, which had been laying on the center console, and held onto it… derek squeezed back reassuringly. 

When they got to the restaurant, stiles beamed seeing it was the red lobster. 

“I love sea food.” stiles said happily, as they got out to walk in. derek chuckled.

“Yeah, i know… i kind of asked your dad what he thought would be a good place to take you.” derek admitted… stiles stared at him… 

“You… got dating advice for me… from my dad?” stiles asked, derek blushed nodding, stiles smiled. “That’s adorable. And a little weird, but whatever.” he said easily, derek snorted.

“Hello, table for two or is there anyone else joining you tonight?” the hostess asked sweetly. 

“I actually have a reservation, for hale?” derek said back, the lady smiled nodding, looking it up on her computer, before nodding. 

“Alright, right this way then.” she said, leading the way to their table. They were sat, and stiles knew he was blushing. 

“What’s wrong?” derek asked, obviously seeing his nervousness. 

“Nothing’s wrong.” stiles said truthfully. “But that lady, i think she recognized me, and she goes to my school. I’m pretty sure talk is gonna be in by monday.” stiles sighed. Derek tilted his head.

“Does that… does it bother you?” he asked, stiles shook his head.

“Nah. i’m not really popular anyway, what do i care if people call me a gay kid? I mean, danny’s gay and no one has a problem with me. It’s cool. More annoying than anything, but that’s highschool.” stiles said, shrugging. Derek nodded slowly. 

They talked easily, derek asking questions about school, stiles finding out that derek planned to fix up the loft for a more permanent place to stay. 

“I was considering rebuilding the old house.” derek admitted. “But i don’t think i, or peter, could handle living in that place again.” he added. Stiles nodded. 

“I get it. When my mom died, i couldn’t go into my dad’s room nor the attic, it’s where we put all of her stuff when she died… we couldn’t stand being around reminders of her, but the thought of forgetting her was awful.” stiles said, derek nodded. 

Most of the date went by quickly, them eating and talking about nothing important. Not the pack, no big bads, just the two of them… stiles liked it. 

A lot.

“So that was fun.” stiles said, as they walked out to the camaro, derek smiled.

“Yeah, it was.” he agreed. The parking lot was nearly empty, surprisingly. It was only 8 o’clock, it was still light out even. The place was usually busy, huh. 

As they derek was opening the door to the car, stiles felt someone tap his shoulder. 

He blinked, looking behind him to see a guy, medium build, a full head shorter than him. “Can i help you?” stiles asked, he heard derek look up from his keys, them being shoved into a pocket.

“Yes, you can.” the guy said. 

“You can start with the location of that dragon you met.” a girl was suddenly there, same height as the guy, and slightly thinner. They both flashed fangs, and stiles realized these were the vampires thorn warned them about. 

“No.” stiles said simply, already channeling his magic into a barrier. Both growled.

“Come on, kid. Don’t be stupid. We won’t hurt you or your boy toy over there. Just tell us where the dragon is and we’ll go on our way.” the girl said. Stiles snorted.

“And what do two vampires want with a dragon anyway?” stiles asked, both of them seemed surprised.

“We wish to control him, of course.” the guy said, snorting. “Why else would we look for a dragon?” he added, stiles shrugged.

“Well, there’s the fact you know a dragon exists.” stiles said dryly. “It’s pretty cool, i gotta admit.” stiles said, shrugging. The girl snorted.

“Not even gonna try to deny knowing about the dragon, kid?” she asked, stiles shrugged.

“Why bother? You already know about him, and apparently you know i know him. What’s the point in playing stupid?” stiles asked. 

“Fair.” the girl nodded. “So, you gonna answer or what?” she asked, stiles raised an eyebrow.

“No. i already told you that. Why would i? What are you gonna do? Kidnap me in a bright parking lot? Torture me here? Good luck with that, hun.” stiles retorted. The girl snarled, hand lurching out, probably in an attempt to hit him, but it was knocked back by his barrier. 

“The hell?” the guy muttered. 

“You should probably leave.” the voice of derek said, right behind them. Both vampires spun around. “Now.” he snarled. Both vampires looked at each other, clearly having a debate on whether it was worth it, before both shrugged.

“This isn’t over, kid.” the girl said. “We’ll be in touch.” she added, and in an instant they were both gone, just vanished…

“Well, we almost got through our first date without an interruption.” stiles teased, derek snorted, going back around to the driver’s side, opening the door this time. Stiles slipped in. 

“I’ll stay with you tonight, i’ll sleep on the couch or something if you want, but they sounded like they were impatient, so i don’t know if they’ll attack so soon after appearing here.” derek said, voice unbroaching. Stiles just nodded.

“Alright, so movie at my house then?” stiles offered, derek nodded driving there. 

When they got to the house, stiles was unsurprised to see his dad’s cruiser there. 

“Am i about to get the shovel talk?” derek asked, probably not expecting an answer. 

“Yes.” stiles nodded, ignoring the half hearted glare sent his way. When they got in, stiles was surprised his dad wasn’t in the kitchen or living room or something. 

“He’s upstairs… i had been expecting a movie cliche, him cleaning his gun or something when i came in.” derek mused. Stiles snorted. 

“Yeah, same.” stiles nodded. “So, what do you wanna watch? You can pick.” he offered, gesturing to the movie stack he had. It was kind of lopsided, but big. Derek just nodded, crouching down by them as stiles went to get popcorn made.

When he came back in, 8 minutes later, derek had picked the hobbit trilogy. Stiles beamed at the choice. He personally liked lord of the rings better, but the hobbit was still good. 

“I wonder how thorn would react to this type of movie.” stiles mused, derek turned to him, eyebrow raised in question. “You know, like how he would react to smaug and how fast they killed him off.” stiles chuckled. Derek snorted, putting the movie in and sitting down next to stiles on the couch after turning the lights off.

“Only you would think of something like that.” derek said, sounding amused.

Stiles agreed easily as he leaned onto the older man.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Stiles didn’t really mean to, but he was unsurprised when he fell asleep on derek… the warm presence was nice. 

But now, he was blinking awake, really glad it was sunday. Derek was still asleep, and after a quick peek stiles saw that his dad was still home. So, getting up, he decided to make breakfast. 

He made eggs, bacon, and pancakes. Enough for the 3 of them. 

It took, about, 30 minutes for everything to be made. He didn’t rush, since almost as soon as he entered the kitchen he heard snoring from the living room, but the stuff wasn’t that hard to make, anyway.

Plus, the snoring was kind of distracting, he bet derek looked cute snoring… 

It was just as everything was finished, coffee just put on, when his dad walked in. 

“Hey pops!” stiles greeted, smiling. “Breakfast is ready to go.” he said easily, his dad nodded.

“I see derek stayed over last night.” his dad said, picking up the half full pot and pouring 3 cups. Stiles nodded, though he was suspicious about where this conversation would go.

“Um, yeah. We fell asleep watching the hobbit last night.” stiles answered, his dad eyed him.

“Do we have to have a conversation?” his dad asked, stiles felt himself blush, only realizing then he had never told his dad he was asexual, it had never seemed like a big deal. 

“Um, no no. really no conversation needed right now. Especially if their an awkward sex talk.” stiles muttered, his dad smiled, seemingly amused.

“Stiles, i know you’re asexual. I didn’t only hear the last part of your conversation with derek last week, you know? I mean the not letting this affect your school work talk.” his dad corrected, stiles blushed again.

“Oh, that. No, it won’t. Derek makes everyone in the pack focus on school- he knew what he was getting into when he bit 3- wait, no, 4 teenagers.” stiles admitted, shrugging. His dad nodded.

“Good. do we have to go over being careful while running with wolves?” his dad asked next, stiles shook his head.

“I’ve been running with them for, like, 3 months dad. And i’m still alive, so like, i’m counting at least 50% of it on skill and the other 50 luck. Plus, the pack works well together. No one’s dying anytime soon.” stiles promised, his dad snorted but didn’t say anything, just took his coffee and plate of food to eat. “You don’t have to work today?” he asked, even as derek walked in. “morning, der. Breakfast and coffee.” he said, nodding towards the extra cup and plate. 

“Thank you.” derek said, voice sleep roughened… 

“No, i do not work today. I was actually gonna ask, hale, if i could watch one of your training sessions?” he asked, bother stiles and derek blinked, derek just now sitting down. “I know there’s nothing i can say to stiles to convince him to stay out of this, he’s in too deep and even if he wasn’t, i doubt he’d listen. But i would like to know he has people looking out for him.” his dad said seriously. Derek looked nervous, but stiles snorted.

“You just wanna meet thorn.” stiles said confidently. His dad chuckled.

“Yes, but the rest of that makes me sound like a better father so we’ll stick with that.” his dad said, getting a surprised laugh from derek.

“Well, we usually have a joined practice on saturdays, sometimes sundays. So if you want you can join us on saturday?” derek offered. His dad nodded, seemingly pleased. 

The rest of breakfast was spent in quiet, and then an hour later stiles saw that his dad was getting his coat on, but not his work coat- his dress coat…

“Who’re you going out with, daddio?” stiles asked, his dad sighed. 

“I have a lunch date, if you must know.” he said, stiles couldn’t help the grin that stretched across his face.

“Oh yeah? Who with??” stiles asked, beaming. His dad sighed in a seemingly long suffering kind of way, but stiles wasn’t fooled. He knew his dad was amused.

“If you really must know-”

“And i must.” stiles agreed. His dad glared half heartedly.

“It’s peter hale.” his dad said, stiles stopped smiling instantly.

“Peter hale?! How do you even know him?! How did this even happen?!” stiles demanded. His dad snorted.

“I told you, kid. I did know the hales. Peter included. We… i liked him, in college, though nothing came of it. And then i fell in love with your mother… i don’t know if this will go anywhere, kid. Don’t make a big deal out of it.” his dad said forcefully. Stiles deflated but nodded. 

“Do… do you know what he did?” stiles asked slowly. “I won’t tell you if you don’t. Peter should tell you that, but-” 

“Yes, i know stiles.” his dad sighed, finishing the last button on his shirt. “He told me himself how he went crazy, killed laura, and everything up till derek and you all killed him- which, i have to say while i don’t like the idea, i think it helped him. He seems more tame than he did when he told me about what he did.” he admitted, stiles nodded slowly. 

“Well, have fun i guess?” stiles offered, his dad nodded, patting him on the shoulder. 

“I will. Be safe, see you around derek.” and like that, he was gone. 

“Well.” stiles said, a moment later feeling derek pressed against his back. “That’s interesting.” he mused. Derek snorted. 

“Yeah it is.” derek agreed. Stiles sighed, leaning back into him. 

“I hope this isn’t another power thing for peter.” stiles admitted quietly. Derek hummed against his neck.

“I don’t think it is.” derek assured. “Peter… he’s better. Not quite all here, but he’s just lost now. He doesn’t know what to think of anything. I guess coming back alive is kind of jarring.” derek admitted. Stiles nodded, sighing. 

They stood there for a while, before derek pushed him towards the door. 

“Where’re we going?” stiles asked, letting himself be lead. 

“Out. your mind is too focused on your dad and peter.” derek commented absently. 

“Is there a particular destination in mind, accepting it when stiles was left in front of the passenger door. He opened it easily and climbed in, derek did the same on the other side. 

“Yeah, i was thinking-” 

Just then, stiles’s phone rang. He blinked, pulling it out quickly. 

“It’s isaac.” stiles said, answering quickly, and putting it on speaker. “Hey, isaac. What’s up?” stiles asked, there was panting on the other end.

“There’s- there’s something in the woods!” isaac said quickly. “It’s big and strong, not a dragon but it’s fast too!” he said quickly, a yelp sounding over the line. Derek was already driving. 

“Where are you, isaac?” stiles asked, snagging derek’s phone from him to use the GPS reader to find him faster.

“Um, by the old lake. It’s me, erica, and boyd here. We went for a small run, and were attacked, like 3 minutes ago.” he explained, stiles nodded.

“Alright, isaac. We’ll be there, keep alive.” stiles instructed. Isaac, and derek, snorted at that. Isaac hung up. 

“Do you have any idea what it is?” derek asked instantly, stiles nodded.

“My first guess would’ve been cave troll, but it’s daylight. It would’ve been turned to snow. So that leaves ogre or orc.” stiles said easily. “The good thing about those things? No strength against magic. And all you have to do is over power um.” stiles said, derek nodded…

“And the bad thing?” derek asked, stiles sighed. “It’ll be nearly impossible to overpower the thing. Both options are wicked strong.” stiles explained. Derek nodded driving faster, stiles understood.

Three of his betas were in danger, his alpha side must be going crazy. 

The trip took them into the preserve, the camaro, somehow, getting them through until they were in the clearing, where isaac, boyd and erica were fighting off an ogre. 

“Dammit.” stiles muttered, slipping on his, as he called them, power gloves. “I was hoping for orc. There strong but at least a little weaker than ogres.” he added, already out of the car with derek. 

They rushed over to help, as isaac got thrown across the clearing, boyd barely holding a foot from crushing him, and erica who had caught a fist that almost hit her head, though it was baring down, she was holding it off fairly well. 

“Clear away erica!” stiles, rushing forward, as derek made sure isaac wasn’t hurt too badly, he hit the ground nastily. 

Erica shoved off, backing away, which left boyd underfoot, literally. Stiles put as much energy as he could into the gloves, ducking under a hit and coming up with his own, hitting the thing in the gut. 

The ogre was much more dense and solid than a tree, so it didn’t explode. But it did go flying away, leaving a chance for boyd to get up. Though, as it hit the ground, the ogre got up too. Looking hurt, but it looked like it was far from done.

“Nice, stilinski!” erica said, already at boyd’s side. 

“You ok?” stiles asked the bigger teen. 

“Yeah, dislocated arm but it’ll heal fast.” he said, nodding. Stiles nodded too. 

Derek and isaac were there, too. Isaac looked dazed still, but he was walking so that was good.

“How do we kill it?” isaac asked, stiles shrugged. 

“It it hard?.... Rip its throat out with your teeth?” stiles offered, derek snorted.

“Alright, attack together, keep it on it’s toes don’t drop your guard, stiles-” 

“Derek, i’m not sitting this one out. I’m here, i’ll fight. It’s why i made these damn things.” he said, holding up his hands, derek sneered playfully.

“Who said anything about sitting out? I want you to wait for an opening and put as much juice as you need into those things and bring it down. It’s clear our claws haven’t had much of an impact, but your punch did.” derek explained, stiles nodded. The wolves darted out after that, all shifting to their beta forms. Stiles hung back, waiting for that opening. 

The betas and derek attacked from all sides. Derek attack when it faced erica, isaac when it faced derek, erica when it faced boyd, and boyd when it faced isaac. It was efficient. Stiles was behind boyd when he got his chance.

They had been at it for 5 minutes, and stiles felt like he had enough power. 

So, he darted forward, and swung upwards, the ogre, again, didn’t explode, which stiles was thankful for. He didn’t wanna be covered in ogre guts. But it did launch about 200 yards in the air. 

It fell about 10 feet from the nearest beta, isaac, unmoving. 

“Damn! It’s dead, right?” erica asked, stiles shrugged.

“Can you hear a heartbeat?” he asked, all of the wolves listened.

“No. it’s dead.” derek nodded. 

“How do you propose getting rid of the body?” boyd asked.

“Burn it?” stiles offered. “In a ditch?” he added, since the ogre was already in a self made ditch. 

“I don’t have anything to start a fire with, you guys?” derek asked, the betas shook their heads. 

Stiles laughed, causing everyone to turn to him.

“What?” erica asked, stiles raised an eyebrow and lifted his hand, letting the flame hover above his palm. 

“Just cover it with branches and stuff.” stiles said, starting to help with the project. He was glad they were so far into the preserve, no wandering eyes seeing this. 

Once the ogre was completely covered in branches, stiles got ready to light it. 

“Wait, i thought you weren’t good at aiming?” isaac asked, stiles snorted.

“I can hit a 12 foot ogre covered in branches and leaves, don’t worry.” stiles assures, shooting off the flame. It hit the gut area, and the fire started growing. Stiles was just glad the ogre landed towards the middle of the area. They didn’t have to worry, as much, about a forest fire.

The smell of burning flesh wasn’t something stiles was looking forward too, but he looked over and saw derek had a distant, strained look in his eyes… 

“Hey, we should probably get out of there.” stiles said, quickly. The betas nodded, derek though stood still as they walked towards the camaro. “Derek.” stiles said softly, “we should go, come one.” he said, pulling on his elbow, he walked easy enough, but he looked lost… 

“Isaac, you drive. Me derek and erica will sit in the back, boyd can take shotgun.” stiles ordered, everyone nodded. He led derek back to the car, getting in the middle and letting derek be pressed against the car door. 

“You ok?” stiles asked derek quietly, once they were driving, same way they came just reversed.

Derek just nodded. “Wanna talk about it?” he asked, unsurprised when derek shook his head. “Alright. I’ll be here if you need me too.” stiles said softly, hugging derek sideways. He was relieved when the man hugged him back hard. 

The drive was quiet, no one talking. Stiles knew the silence must be awful, being that the betas could probably feel their alpha’s unease. 

Isaac’s first stop, surprisingly, was at his house. 

“I’ll take the car back, are you staying here tonight, derek?” isaac asked, derek sighed.

“I’ll text you.” derek promised. Isaac nodded, as stiles and derek got out.

“You sure you’re ok?” stiles asked softly, derek sighed. 

“I’m fine, stiles.” he said, turning to walk into the house. Stiles just sighed and followed. 

When he got in, derek was sitting on the couch, head in his hands looking down.

Stiles sighed again, but sat down and wrapped his arms around derek’s waist, resting his head on derek’s shoulder. 

“I said i’m fine st-” 

“Don’t lie to me.” stiles muttered, a little harsher than he meant. “If you don’t want to talk about it, fine. I understand ok? But please, derek. Don’t lie to me.” stiles said, almost pleaded. Derek looked at him, before nodding.

“Sorry.” he said, and he at least sounded like he meant it. He also turned slightly, wrapping his own arms around stiles returning the hug. “I’m not used to talking about the fire.” he admitted quietly. “Me and laura never talked about it, the wounds were too fresh. And then it was too late to talk about it with her, and now the only family left is peter… and well it’s hard to talk to him, but for different reasons.” derek added on, stiles nodded against his shoulder, tightening his grip. 

“If it’s too difficult for you to, you don’t have to talk about it.” stiles offered. “We can watch some movie or whatever, it’s still early only like 5.” derek nodded.

“Yeah… that sounds good. Thanks.” derek said, nodding. Stiles smiled, getting up to choose the movie. He chose a simple one, some mindless action movie that he knew neither he nor derek would remember anything about. 

When he sat back down, he curled up close to derek again, head on his chest. They watched it in silence, just enjoying the moment. Stiles was surprised at how easy it was to be this close to derek. He had thought that it would take at least a little while to get comfortable around each other. 

But he guessed, while they hadn’t exactly been nice to each other, they had helped each other a lot. 

And then his phone rang again. He groaned, but answered it. 

“Hello?” he asked, not bothering to put it on speaker knowing derek would hear. 

“Hey, stiles.” came allison’s voice. “My dad said that he’d be willing to teach you.” allison explained. 

“Oh, great!” stiles said, trying to make it sound confident… from the look derek gave him, he knew it wasn’t successful. 

Thankfully, though, allison didn’t catch it.

“Yeah, he said maybe we could meet after school on tuesday and thursday” she offered, stiles nodded.

“Sure.” he ageed. “See ya tomorrow at school then, alright?” he offered. 

“Yeah, sure! See ya stiles!” and with that, she hung up. 

“Do you want to get lessons from chris?” derek asked, stiles sighed. 

“Not really.” he admitted. “It’s just… i don’t trust him. I don’t think he’ll do anything, honestly. But…” 

“You think he won’t hesitate to walk away if we ask him for help.” derek surmised. Stiles nodded. 

“Yeah.” he agreed. 

“Do you want me to go with you? Or one of the betas?” derek asked, stiles shook his head.

“I appreciate the offer, but i don’t wanna upset allison like that. She… she’s had a rough time, getting over what she did. And while i know she won’t hurt me, she’s not like that, i don’t want her to get mad at you guys.” stiles explained, derek nodded. 

“Ok. but if you need anything, just call ok? I’ll come.” derek promised. Stiles nodded, smiling.

“The same goes for you, by the way.” stiles offered. Derek smiled. 

“I know.” he said, and stiles believed him.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The next few days until tuesday passed by quickly. Stiles and derek fell asleep on the couch again, much to the amusement of his dad when he walked in, and peter… stiles would never be able to get those thoughts out of his head. 

But, now, it was tuesday after school and he was giving allison a ride home so they could start. Stiles didn’t even know what they were doing… 

“What does your dad have planned for today, anyway? Like, is there a regimen or us just going at each other?” stiles asked, allison laughed, a little bit.

“Actually, my dad said there was 2 omegas in the woods. He thought we could help with that. He thinks, even without training, you should be strong enough to take down an omega.” allison said, stiles blinked, looking at her. 

“Well… that’s a surprising. So, what, we’re just bagging um and taking em to derek?” stiles asked, allison shook her head, now serious.

“Dad says they need to be put down.” allison said, stiles winced.

“Damn, what’d they do?” stiles asked, allison seemed to think about it. 

“I… i actually don’t know. But i don’t think dad would just kill 2 innocent people. He’s not like… kate or gerard.” she explained, sad looking… stiles almost regretted his next question.

“Does derek know about this?” he asked, “he is the local alpha, it’s supposed to be run by him right?” stiles said, allison thought about it. 

“I’m sure dad did.” allison nodded. Stiles nodded, understanding in an instant, and a plan already forming. 

They got to the argent’s house in under 10 minutes. 

When allison let him in, stiles couldn’t help but realize he had never been here. 

Huh. 

The house was nice. Simple, but large. But not too large. It was well lived in, but not messy. Fitting for a family of 3. 

Chris was already there waiting for them in the front hallway. 

“Stiles! Allison said you were joining us, did she tell you about the omega situation?” chris asked, stiles nodded. “Good. do you know how to operate a gun?” he asked, stiles nodded again.

“My dad’s the sheriff.” stiles said easily. “I know how to clean, load and fire pistols and rifles… i’ve never shot an automatic though.” stiles admitted. “But if they’re omegas, i might be able to trap um in mountain ash? If that would make it easier?” stiles offered, chris nodded. 

“If it comes to that, yes.” he agreed, handing stiles a… pistol and sheath and belt. “Come on, i have some others out searching for it. We’ll learn on the job.” he said, moving out of the door, stiles followed, grabbing the small bag of mountain ash he had from his car. 

They took chris’s car, a jeep too though this one was black and even more beat up than stiles’s. 

They drove in silence for a while until stiles asked, “so, what’d the omegas do that we gotta kill them outright?” stiles asked, chris sighed.

“One of the people helping us is a hunter from out of state, his buddies were killed by them. 3 of them.” chris said, stiles nodded.

“Did he have any proof?” stiles asked, chris looked at him.

“He’s a good hunter. I trust him for stuff like this.” chris said, stiles nodded. So it was like that, then. He’d have to act fast, then. 

They met up with a few other guys, and 2 girls, going over basic procedures and introductions. Allison was with him and another kid, chris said he was well experienced. 

Stiles scoffed in his head but didn’t question it. 

“So, your names stiles?” the kid asked, jeremy stiles thought he said. Stiles nodded.

“Nickname, i don’t use my real name.” stiles said, shrugging. Jeremy scoffed.

“Why the hell not?” he asked, stiles shrugged, looking around for movement. 

“First off, it’s a bitch to spell and pronounce. Also, it was special to me and my mom, when she died, it was a little hard to use it. Stiles was a nickname my dad’s dad used back when, and i liked it so i used it.” stiles admitted shrugging, just then seeing rustling in the leaves. He held up a hand to stop their movements and any other comments. 

“Hold up, heard something.” stiles said, both allison and jeremy nodded, jeremy loading a crossbow, allison a bow. Stiles pulled out a pinch of mountain ash, and got his magic ready. 

Two forms darted out of the bush, both women. 

One had black hair and was a good bit taller than the other, she looked to be in her late twenties to early thirties. 

The other looked to be his and allison’s age, a head taller than allison, but a few inches short of stiles himself. They both looked battered, travel worn. 

Stiles reacted on instinct, he threw both hands out, sending the ash to circle the omegas, and forming a barrier to stop the arrows from hitting said omegas. 

“The hell?!” jeremy yelled from behind him. Both omegas looked pissed. But they were looking at him strangely. 

“Stiles! What are you doing?!” allison demanded, stiles turned to them first, eying jeremy and his crossbow. 

“You can do magic?!” jeremy demanded, stiles held out a hand, and forced his magic out to heat up the crossbow, jeremy dropped it after a minute when it got too hot. 

“Yes, i can. And i’m sorry, allison. But i’m not gonna let your dad kill two omegas on some guys word.” stiles said, allison blushed but nodded. 

“Why’d you do that to me and not her?!” jeremy demanded. 

“I trust allison to trust me.” stiles deadpanned, turning to the omegas. “Omegas, you are trespassing on hale land. I will ask you once and give you a minute to decide whether or not you want to answer. Why are you here and what are your intentions? As well as who are you?” stiles said, adding on the last parts, they were important after all.

The older one sneered at him. “What makes you think you can make us talk, mage?” she snarled. Stiles shrugged, putting up a barrier around them just incase. He wasn’t sure where the other hunters were. And he also wasn’t sure what they would do. 

“I stopped them from killing you.” stiles offered. “That must earn me some gratitude. I am also the alpha’s mate of this land. And as he is not present, i will speak for him.” he explained, both omegas had wide eyes, looking at each other before back at stiles. 

“The alpha, who is he?” the younger girl asked, quietly. Stiles blinked.

“His name is derek hale.” he answered honestly, the younger girl actually cried, the older one had wet eyes. “Who are you?” stiles asked again, the older one smiled.

“My name is laura hale.” stiles felt his eyes widen. “And this here is my sister, cora hale. And i think you should’ve been paying more attention to your surroundings alpha’s mate.” laura said, looking amused. Stiles blinked, but threw his hand up, again, in reflex to the bush right in front of him practically exploding. 

The barrier he put up trapped a girl, about the same age as cora… 

“Don’t hurt her!” laura roared, stiles blinked, but threw a small bit more of mountain ash, just in case. He kept the barrier up too. 

“I haven’t hurt you guys. I’m not about to hurt her.” stiles said, shrugging. “So… laura haled and cora hale… you’re derek’s sisters?” stiles asked, ignoring the third women for now who snarled. Laura looked surprised, before nodding wearily. 

“Y-yeah. What’ll you do to us? You’re a hunter, right?” she asked, stiles barked out a laugh. 

“Ha! No!” he said, shaking his head. “Did you not hear the part about me being derek’s mate? Not only is he a mate, so i would never hunt him. But also, i haven’t had the best experiences with hunters in town.” stiles said, shrugging. 

“And those two?” she asked, pointing to allison and jeremy. 

“They’re hunters, yeah.” stiles nodded. “I needed to learn how to fight the supernatural, and hunters, at least chris, seemed like the best bet. Well, he did. Now, please. Laura hale. Answer my question. Why are you here? Also, did you kill 3 hunters?” stiles asked, raising an eyebrow. Laura sighed, sitting down, pulling a still crying cora to her side.

“Yeah, i did.” laura nodded. “But not them. If you’re to punish someone for that, then it is i you should do it to. Though, it was in self defence. We were running, not sure on where to at the time, when we were attacked. There was 5 of them. I took down three. The other two fled, out of fear or not i do not know. As to why we’re here? I knew that this would be the safest place for us. The land is still the hales, we can have it protected. Though it seems my baby brother beat me to it.” laura chuckled, stiles tilted his head. 

“You’re not an alpha then? I… honestly, i’m confused. I thought peter had killed you?” stiles asked, laura shook her head. 

“No. he tried, but i could see he wasn’t… present mentally. I hate to say i did this, because it was awful of me, but i gave my powers to an omega that had been there, she was so confused when he killed her, and i just ran.” laura explained, stiles nodded slowly. 

“Do… is it ok if i bring them both here?” stiles asked, laura blinked.

“You would actually bring them?” the third girl asked, stiles blinked. 

“Of course.” stiles nodded. 

“But why though?!” she demanded. 

“Malia!” laura reprimanded. 

“Don’t worry.” stiles said “when they get here… trust me, you’ll understand.” stiles said, pulling out his phone, already dialing derek. 

“Stiles? Are you ok?” derek asked as way of a greeting. Stiles chuckled.

“Yeah, i’m fine der. Hey, is peter near you?” stiles asked.

“Uh, yeah. He’s in the same room? Why?” derek asked, sounding worlds of confused. 

“Can, um, you come find us? Use the gps on my phone or something?” stiles asked, derek sounded even more confused in his next words. 

“Stiles. What’s going on?!” derek demanded. 

“Um, a surprise? Trust me on this, der. You’ll love it.” stiles promised, smirking at a grinning laura. 

“Fine.” derek growled. “We’ll be there in 1 hour. Don’t move.” and hung up. Stiles chuckled.

“You’re cruel.” laura said, sounding pleased.

Stiles smirked. “Didn’t say i wasn’t.” stiles responded, before a gunshot was heard. It hit the barrier and dropped, stiles had been careful with these. He didn’t want bullets to hit them and go flying. 

“What the hell?!” he heard one of the women that had been with chris shout. Suddenly, all of them were there, all of the hunters… stiles put a little more juice into the barriers. All three omegas, malia laura and cora, looked scared for their lives, eyes wide. Stiles quietly extended the barrier from malia to the others, before breaking the mountain ashe. 

“Go to them.” stiles hissed. Malia stared at him, before nodding and rushing to laura and cora. 

3 hunters fired at her, she screamed, dropping down. But the bullets dropped again, hitting the barrier. Laura was by her side in an instant, carrying her to cora, holding them both close.

“Stiles, what is the meaning of this?!” chris demanded, walking up to him. Stiles sighed. 

“Chris, it was fun while it lasted working with you. But, leave. Now.” stiles said, not having much else to say. “They have done nothing wrong. I will not be part of a murder spree. Not only that, they are derek’s and peter’s family. I will not let them die, even if i have to knock out you lot of hunters.” stiles said, glaring. 

“They killed 3 people!” chris shouted in rage. 

“On whose word?!” stiles demanded. “You’re listening to some hunter you know. Just like you did kate and gerard, right?!” stiles asked, coldly. Chris snapped his mouth shut at that. “Maybe, chris, you should grow some backbone and look for proof for the crimes you punish people for before executing them.” stiles said, chris frowned. 

“I’m not leaving without them.” the girl hunter snarled, stiles his hands burst out with the biggest flames he could produce. 

“Come on, then, honey. Let’s see how long you last.” he said, sneering. The girl gaped, then gulped.

“On second thought- fuck this place!” she said, running, as did the other hunters, and jeremy leaving him, chris and allison in the clearing. 

“You leave too.” stiles said to chris. “I want derek and peter to be able to enjoy this.” stiles said, chris nodded numbly. He turned to allison. “I’m sorry you had to see that, but it had to be said. You know that, right?” stiles asked, allison gulped. 

“Yeah.” she agreed, her voice rough. “I’ll leave with my dad, see ya… see ya around, stiles.” she said, going with her dad. 

“Wow, stiles.” cora said after 5 minutes, she sounded rough too but ok, “that was total badass.” 

Stiles chuckled. They waited in silence for a little while, until the bushes to their right rustled and derek jumped out, followed right after by peter. 

“Stiles! What was so important that you had to call us?” he asked, stiles beamed, pointing to the 3 women. 

Derek and peter both turned, their eyes widening. Stiles quickly dispelled the barrier and broke the mountain ash barrier. 

“Law?” derek asked quietly. Laura looked down at the mountain ash line, and stepped over it hesitantly. Once she was, she was running forward, along with the other two, to hug derek. 

They all collided, hugging each other, peter even joined in, wrapping his arms around them as well as he could. They got about around the three girls but not derek. 

They just sat there, having collapsed in the moment, and stiles smiled. He knew he probably shouldn’t be here, this was intensely personal, but yet he couldn’t bring himself to leave. After a moment, derek looked up, looking at stiles. 

“What happened? How… how did you even find them?” he asked, stiles sighed, but started explaining everything that happened, starting from the school with alison. 

When he finished, getting up to his run in with the other hunters, derek stood up and strode over to him, cupping his face in his hands. 

“Are you ok? They didn’t hurt you right?” derek asked, stiles smiled grabbing his hands. 

“Of course not. I scared them off, and then you showed up. I think i broke chris, a little, and allison is, like, really pissed at me i’m sure, but whatever.” stiles said, shrugging. 

“You couldn’t have given me a heads up about this?” derek asked, quietly, nodding towards the three… Stiles blinked then was instantly worried, had he pissed derek off? 

“I’m sorry, i thought it would be a good surprise you know? I… didn’t mean any harm by it.” stiles mumbled, looking down. He blinked when a hand touched his chin, making him look at derek.

“I’m not mad.” derek whispered. “A little heads up would’ve been nice, but it was a good surprise.” derek assured, kissing stiles. Stiles smiled when he pulled away. 

“Awww!” laura was suddenly there, “little brother finally found someone!” she cooed. Stiles laughed at derek disgruntled expression. 

“Do you guys wanna take this somewhere else? As much as the woods are a good place, knowing beacon hills, anything could pop up. Not to mention those two vampires.” stiles said, derek nodded. 

“We can all go back to the loft.” he agreed. 

“I have to get my jeep?” stiles offered, derek nodded.

“I’ll go with him, nephew.” peter spoke. “You stay with your sisters and cousins.” peter said, derek looked hesitant, but stiles jumped on it.

“It’s alright, derek.” stiles assured. Derek sighed, but nodded, going with his sisters, running the way he had come in. 

Stiles started walking with peter towards the jeep which was still at the argent’s house… great. 

He didn’t make it twenty feet before peter stepped in front of him and pulled him into an almost painful hug. “Thank you, stiles.” he said quietly. “For this.” peter added, stiles hesitated a moment before hugging back, a little awkwardly but it was there nonetheless. 

“It’s ok, peter.” stiles promised. Peter nodded, still not letting go. 

“It’s more than just for bringing them back to us, stiles.” peter said quietly. Stiles blinked. “If derek had been there alone… he would have come, and i do not think he would have even thought to call me when he saw them. You… you made the decision to make sure i knew, thank you.” peter said seriously, stiles nodded, squeezing back harder now. It was kind of weird, but nice in a way.

“I wouldn’t have left you out of it. They’re your family too.” stiles said, shrugging. “And you deserve it, this thing peter. You went crazy for a little bit, yes. But… you for the month after all that have tried to help us. So, yeah.” stiles said, shrugging awkwardly when peter pulled away. Peter smiled.

“Yeah, i understand.” peter promised. Stiles nodded, leading the way, again, towards the jeep. Peter followed this time, well walked beside him anyway. 

The walk was short, about 10 minutes, before they got there. Stiles pointedly didn’t look towards the house as he walked to the jeep, unlocked it, and climbed in, peter on the opposite side. 

“Oh, that reminds me!” stiles said, sneering. “How’s dating my dad going?” stiles asked, grinning wide at the groan peter let out. “Is that good or bad?” stiles asked, as he pulled out. 

“Do you really want to talk about your father’s love life?” peter tried, stiles snorted. 

“I got over the embarrassed portion of it when you walked in with each other the other day. As long as you don’t describe whatever sex you may or may not have with him, i won’t have to scratch out my own eyeballs.” stiles said, shrugging. Peter snorted, before going quiet. 

Finally, he spoke. “He… is unlike anyone i’ve met. But of course, i knew that. I knew him before the fire, and i developed quite an affection for him. He chose claudia, of course… and i would never dream of replacing her in his life, as he will never replace my wife in mine… but i care about him still, very much.” peter explained, stiles blinked, surprised. 

“I… i didn’t know you had been married before the fire.” stiles said, frowning. Peter nodded.

“No, i don’t think derek or cora would remember, laura might but vaguely. And it wasn’t just marriage, she was my mate. It’s… it’s a much deeper connection than a simple marriage. We only married because she was human, and liked the idea.” peter explained, stiles hesitated before asking.

“So… mates, when… when one dies, what happens to the other? I mean, i’m guessing that’s part of what sent you over the edge?” stiles said, calmly, hoping he wasn’t pushing any boundaries. Peter, though, just nodded.

“Many a times, about 8 out of 10, when a mate dies the other follows. Not because the bond itself kills them, but often because they cannot imagine life without the other so they follow. It’s… it’s a little bit of a instinctual thing, but werewolves cannot change who or what they are.” peter said, stiles nodded. 

“Alright… can… can werewolves find a new mate?” stiles asked, peter shrugged.

“It’s… been known to happen. But not usually. I assume you are referring to me and your father, and while a reasonable concern he is not my mate. He may be, in the future, but now it is just attraction. We are not bonded in anyway except for what we seem fit to have.” peter said clearly, but not unkindly. Stiles nodded.

“Ok.” he agreed… then hesitated. “For… bonding… is… is there a way mates have to, um… solidify the bond?” stiles asked, blushing. Peter snorted. 

“Yes, but i’m sure it is not like what is going on in your head.” peter said, sounding amused. “Traditionally, it is done through a bit on the shoulder for each partner.” peter said, tapping on the place connecting his shoulder and neck… “it is traditionally done through sex, done in the heat of the moment. But, it is not unheard of for werewolf couples to simply do it to each other.” peter said, shrugging. Stiles sighed, a little relief and a little in embarrassment. 

Sadly, for him, peter was one of the more observant people in the pack. 

“Being asexual is nothing to be ashamed of, stiles.” he said bluntly, continuing even as stiles spluttered. “If anything, it is quite admirable that you are able to make such a decision, at only 17 no less. It means that while others may only want someone for their body, you will actually care about them. It is quite a good quality, i admit.” peter said, stiles blushed, but decided not to answer, they were pulling up to the loft anyway.

Stiles eyed the old elevator, he never liked using that old thing. But, he climbed in, peter in tow. 

When they got up there, he was not expecting to find cora having isaac pinned to the floor… it was kind of hilarious. 

He would’ve been more concerned if derek wasn’t watching and laughing his ass off, along with laura and malia. 

“Stiles!” isaac said, looking grateful. “Help?” he asked, stiles raised an eyebrow, as peter walked over and hugged both laura and malia. 

“What did you do to get into this position?” stiles asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“This little punk hit on me and malia at the same time.” cora snarled, stiles choked on something and laughed. 

“No broken bones cora, and no death. Have fun isaac.” stiles said, ignoring isaac’s protests. “So, what’d we miss?” stiles asked derek, derek chuckled still. 

“Nothing really. We got back 5 minutes ago, and isaac started in. it was kind of hilarious. Malia kicked him in the shin, and cora tackled him. They’ve been like that for a while.” derek said, still chuckling. He did wrap an arm around stiles’s should though, so really who was he to complain? 

“So what’s the plan for you three?” stiles asked, derek tightened his grip on his shoulder but didn’t comment, 

“We’ve spoken with derek about it, and he’s agreed to let us stay here.” laura said, stiles nodded. 

“Alright, that’s good. Family being back together.” stiles said, nodding. Laura chuckled, though derek just hugged him tighter. 

“Cora and malia will be enrolling in the high school on monday. And laura, apparently, has had some training as a police officer. So, she’ll be applying at the sheriff’s station.” derek explained, stiles blinked.

“Damn. leave for 45 minutes, not even, and you miss everything,” stiles said, shaking his head in amusement. “That’s great. But, um… does my dad know she’s not, you know, dead?” stiles asked, derek blinked, before paling… 

“Why would that matter what he thinks?” laura asks, stiles sighed.

“That girl you left to take your place that looked like you? Yeah, my dad thinks she’s you. And derek confirmed it was. At least for beacon hills, you are dead. As far as the law is concerned.” stiles said, laura blinked. Then sighed. 

“Great.” she muttered, “well, i’ll get it straightened out.” she promised. “Tomorrow.” she added, yawning. That got a chuckle out of everyone present. 

As laura, cora and malia are settling down on the couch, stiles yawns. 

“I’m gonna head home.” stiles says, nudging derek. Derek blinks at him, clearly surprised. 

“You sure? It’s alright if you stay over.” derek offered. Stiles smiled. 

“Nah, enjoy time with your sisters. I’ll see ya tomorrow or sometime soon.” stiles promised, kissing his cheek before pulling away. Derek smiled, nodding. 

“See ya, peter, laura cora malia! Isaac, don't piss them off. They’ll probably maul you!” stiles called over his shoulder. He heard the snickers before he close the door, but chose to ignore them. 

Instead, he got in his car, and drove home. 

That night, he saw gunfire and heard screaming…  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Stiles felt like shit the next morning, probably looked it too. He wouldn’t know, he had showered quickly and left, not having time to shave his non-existing beard and brush his hair. 

When he got to school, his thoughts were confirmed.

“You look like shit, stilinski!” finstock said with, literally, no preamble in 3rd period home econ. “Did you sleep at all?” he asked, stiles shrugged.

“Probably.” stiles said, “i think i got 2 hours, coach.” stiles added, finstock sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“Do you wanna go to the nurse?” he asked, stiles shook his head.

“I’ll be good. I’ve operated under less before.” stiles said, shrugging. Finstock groaned, running a hand over his face. 

“I’m going to pretend i didn’t hear that.” he decided, going back to the front of the room. Most of the room chuckled, though isaac and boyd, whom he shared this class with, looked concerned. 

The rest of that class went by swiftly, until finally stiles was able to go to lunch.

“Stiles, are you alright?” isaac asked, clearly worried. Stiles nodded.

“Yeah, i’m fine. Just didn’t sleep that well. Not the first time it’s happened, and i’m sure it won’t be the last. But i’m ok, i promise.” stiles assured, isaac nodded slowly. 

“Do you wanna do a pack pile tonight? Or at least me and scott could come over, erica too probably.” isaac said, clearly happy. Stiles smiled back. That, actually, didn’t sound that bad, but…

“Sure, but i wouldn’t count on scott coming over.” stiles admitted, as they sat down, with their friends… minus scott, apparently. 

“What, you and your puppy get into a fight?” jackson said, sneering. Stiles snorted.

“No, did derek get a chance to explained that his sisters are back?” stiles asked, everyone, minus isaac, shook their head…

So, quickly, he told them about how he had gone with the hunters, and how he had met the three hales, and then he explained what he said to them. 

Everyone stared at him, before isaac sighed, almost like in relief.

“Ok, so i’m not the only one who thinks they’re kind of weird.” isaac said, “don’t get me wrong, i love allison like a sister, but… she can get, like, really terrifying.” he admitted, shrugging.

“What the hell?!” stiles jumped, as did the betas(minus boyd) when scott slammed his tray down. “What did you say to allison, stiles?!” scott demanded, stiles was just glad no one was paying attention to them… 

Stiles explained, again, what had happened… scott stared…

“You didn’t have to be so mean to her.” scott growled. “She’s trying to get better.” scott said, stiles sighed. 

“Yes, and it’s a good thing… but scott, she shot at cora and laura without a second thought. She just believed what she was told, again dammit. How many times does she have to be manipulated into almost killing people before she stops?” stiles demanded. “Allison’s a sweet person, ok? But she’s also strong as hell. She also is easily manipulated. I… i can’t just trust her like you do scott. I understand that you love her- trust me, i do- but she has to start improving, sometimes just trying isn’t good enough.” scott, like the rest of their table, was quiet. 

“I understand.” scott nodded, slowly. Stiles was surprised. Scott was thick headed, if something he said had made a dent, good. “Sorry, i know everything you said is right, but it’s just… she doesn’t mean to be bad. When i went to pick her up this morning, she cried and said how sorry she was… i can’t help but be protective of her.” scott mumbled, stiles punched his shoulder playfully.

“I know, dude. I feel the same way about derek. I get it.” stiles assured. Scott nodded. 

“I’ll probably go talk to her today.” scott decided, stiles nodded. He expected as much.

After that, most of the day went by fairly quickly. At the end of the day, he was making his way out of the building with the others, minus scott who was already gone, when the two alphas, ethan and aiden stiles had learned their names were, came up to him, and the others by comparison. 

“What do you want?” stiles asked, after a minute of uncomfortable silence. Ethan sneered. 

“To talk with the local pack, why else?” he asked, stiles snorted. 

“If that was true, then you would’ve come to us before now. What do you want?” surprisingly, it was boyd who stepped forward. Both ethan and aidan eyed him , smirking confidently. 

“Deucalion says the time for waiting is almost up.” aidan said, shrugging. “Said to tell you that his patience is running thin. That he’ll come to you soon enough.” aidan continued, stiles tilted his head.

“Patience? What the hell is he losing his patience over? He hasn’t asked us for anything, and hasn’t had a deadline set for anything.” stiles snarled, ethan sneered. 

“He’s after the mage, wants him to make our pack stronger.” he said, still sneering. 

“And we were supposed to know about this how?” stiles asked, aidan laughed.

“You sure are clueless, aren’t you? Your pack already knows. Or at the very least your alpha does. Guess they don’t keep you in the loop, huh?” aidan said, sneering still… stiles blinked looking at the others who were all looking at everything but at stiles. 

“You guys knew about this?” stiles asked, quietly. 

“Derek told us not to tell you.” isaac said quietly, after a minute. “He… he didn’t want you hurt. He said he could deal with it, that we would all deal with it.” isaac explained, stiles sighed, running a hand over his face.

“I’m leaving, i need… i need to go talk to him.” stiles said, going to his jeep and hopping in. before he could start it, ethan spoke. 

“Don’t hold it against your alpha, stilinski.” ethan said, his voice not as cocky as before. “Humans in packs are more susceptible to injuries. He did it to protect you.” he said, stiles narrowed his eyes. 

“Why tell me this?” stiles asked, aidan smiled. 

“We weren’t always in deucalion’s pack, you know. We had one before him. We were both betas, happy with that life… but deucalion doesn’t ask. He doesn’t give you a choice. You either submit to him, or die trying to resist. It doesn’t mean we like it, but hey we have to survive, you know?” he said, stiles thought about it, before nodding. 

“Fine. thanks, i guess.” stiles said, before closing the door and driving to the loft. He was pissed, livid, but he at least was able to tell himself he understood why derek did it. 

Didn’t make him any less pissed, but he understood it. 

When he got to the loft, he was relieved to find derek there. When he got up to the top floor, he was even more relieved to see only derek and peter were there, and peter was just walking up the stairs when he came in… 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” stiles snarled, marching up to derek. Derek blinked, looking up at him. 

“What do you mean ‘why didn’t i tell you?’? He asked, “what didn’t i tell you?’ he asked, after a moment. Stiles snarled. He could’ve handled derek trying to explain it, but the fact he was playing dumb pissed him off even more.

“About deucalion.” stiles said, derek paled. “Yeah, i know about that now. Now. why. Didn’t. You. tell. Me?” stiles asked, slowly. Derek sighed. 

“I… i thought i could stop it before he dragged you into this.” derek mumbled. “When he came to me… i had no idea you were the mage or whatever he talked about. This was before you showed us your magic. He just said he could smell it in the air. So, i shrugged and said fine. Find him and go… when… when i found out it was you. God, stiles. I… i wanted to tell you, but being in the dark about it seemed to be protecting you so well… i’m not sure if it means anything at this point, but i am sorry.” he added, stiles sighed, flopping onto the couch with him. 

“It’s ok, i guess. I’m still pissed, don’t get me wrong, but i understand.” he said, taking derek’s hand in his. Derek just nods. “Is there anything else? Any other big secrets?” he asks, derek shook his head.

“No, i promise.” derek assured, squeezing back. Stiles nodded. 

“Ok.” he agreed. “Where’re your sisters?” he asked, curiously. 

Derek sighed. “Laura went to clear up that she was, indeed, alive and that no, she doesn’t know who the girl they thought was her. Malia and cora are shopping for new clothes, they didn’t want to start high school again with beat up clothes. So, they’re doing that.” derek said, shrugging. Stiles nodded, leaning his head on derek’s shoulder. 

“That’s nice. I’m happy for you, you know?” stiles asked, derek noded. 

“I… it’s still new, but i just feel like i’m dreaming, like this can’t actually be real.” derek mumbled. “I feel like the other shoe will drop any second and either they’ll just disappear, or worse, i’ll lose them… again.” derek mumbled, stiles nodded bringing his other hand to wrap around derek’s shoulders, head still resting on his shoulder.

“That won’t happen.” he said, “i promise. They are not going anywhere, and you, and them, will be ok.” stiles added. Derek nodded.

“I believe you.” stiles smiled at that. It felt good. 

They got a good ten more minutes of silence, before others were swarming in. first it was isaac, which was fair since the other teen did live there, and then there was the others erica, boyd, jackson, lydia. Minus scott and allison, still, but whatever. 

Another 20 minutes, after they were all settled down, malia, cora, and laura came back in. Cora and malia were both carrying bags of clothes. Laura, though, looked faintly pleased with herself, and the few bags she had. 

Not many, just 2, but they were decently large. 

“What, did you sweep out JC penny of everything they have?” stiles teased, cora snorted. 

“Well, i don’t expect you to understand. You’re a boy. But ladies need to make themselves presentable.” cora said, raising her chin. Stiles blinked. 

“You say that, but laura doesn’t seem to care about that kind of thing, considering she had a good quarter of what you got.” stiles pointed out, cora snorted heading for the stairs with malia. 

“Yeah, well she’s weird.” and then she was gone. Stiles snorted as laura followed. 

“Where’s scott and allison?” derek asked, stiles grimaced but explained what happened in school. Derek nodded along. “Alright… well, can one of you ask them to come this weekend?” derek asked his betas. “With my sisters joining the pack, i’d like time for them to bond with the rest of the pack. I figure a weekend should be enough.” derek said, lydia nodded.

“I’ll go talk to her.” she agreed. “Stiles, maybe you should apol-”

“I won’t apologize for anything i said.” stiles yawned. “Nothing i said was wrong. And they have to deal with that, lyds. It’ll put us all in danger if they don’t.” stiles said, shrugging. Lydia actually glared, before standing up and leaving. Jackson quick on her heels…

“Well, that was fun.” erica mused. “Movie?” she offered. Everyone agreed, stiles though just settled next to derek, enjoying the warmth he offered.

“It’s weird, though.” isaac mused. “That you guys are actually together now, honestly i didn’t think you would. And for it to take a dragon to get you together.” isaac shook his head. “It’s hilarious, really.” he added, stiles snorted, it was in a way. Though, he was happy. Mostly because of derek, he admitted. 

When the three sisters came down, stiles listened as the others asked them questions, but didn’t add in. He was too tired, at the moment. 

After a few minutes, boyd spoke up out of nowhere. “I smelled something strange in school today.” he said, everyone turned to him.

“Strange how?” derek asked, leaning forward. Boyd looked contemplative for a moment more, before speaking. 

“I don’t know, really. It… smelled dead. But not, at the same time. I didn’t know what to make of it, and i don’t even know when i smelled it. It’s weird, like there’s a block in my memory of it, except for the smell.” boyd tried to explained, derek nodded slowly. 

“Ok. then keep on guard.” derek said, everyone nodded. “Anything else happen today?” derek asked, isaac spoke up explaining what happened with ethan and aidan. Derek furrowed his brow. “Why didn’t you tell me that when you first came in?” derek asked, not meanly just asking it. Stiles grumbled, he heard but he didn’t feel like answering… but knew he should, damnit.

“Was focused on other thing.” he mumbled. “Didn’t think of that, sorry.” he added, already half asleep… again. 

“Why are you so tired?” laura asked, a minute later. “Did something happen to you?” she asked, stiles shook his head.

“He was like that all day, too.” isaac commented. “The most lucid he sounded was when ethan and aidan confronted us, and when he heard about that thing with duke.” he explained. “But other than that, he was asleep on his feet.” isaac added. Stiles didn’t hear it, he was already asleep.

The wolves all looked at him, before derek sighed, running a hand through the younger man’s hair. 

“I’ll talk to him when he feels up to it.” he said easily, everyone nodded, though laura was grinning like a fool.

“You’re so adorable, little brother. I’m glad you finally found someone you care so much about.” laura cooed, derek grimaced. He had been expecting the teasing from his betas, though obviously he never accounted for his sisters showing up again… and while he was happy as hell about that, he really should’ve expected this. 

“Yeah, i guess i did.” he agreed, hand still running smoothly over the teens head, smiling softly.” there was a nice beat of silence, comfortable, until stiles’s phone blared loudly. 

The teen flailed awake, falling off the couch before derek could try to catch him. He pulled out his phone, blinking at the screen before answering it.

“Hey, lyds, what happened?” stiles asked. 

“Danny was bitten by a rogue alpha.” she said, every wolf in the room heard it and tensed. 

“Where are you?” stiles said, already standing up as was all of the wolves present. 

“His house. He called jackson, and we beelined over here. I’m gonna go over to allison’s still, but i figured we should let you know, and make sure one of the wolves would be here to help him.” she explained.

“Alright, thanks lyds. See ya.” stiles said, getting a good bye from lydia before she hung up. Stiles sighed.

“Should we go over?” isaac asked, sitting forward. Stiles shook his head. 

“No, let jackson talk to him first. He got bit by a rogue, and is probably kind of traumatised. I don’t think he needs to be overwhelmed with well over a half dozen werewolves swarming his house as he’s getting used to his senses.” stiles said, everyone nodded.

“How do you know that? You aren’t a werewolf.” malia asked, stiles nodded.

“Correct. But my best friend, scott, was.” stiles said, shrugging. “It looked hard to control his anger and scott was, like, the nicest person before being bitten. He never got mad before, and it changed him so… yeah.” stiles said, shrugging. Everyone nodded.

“Yeah, but it’s danny.” erica said, “he’s a nice guy too. I doubt it’ll change him that much.” she said, stiles blinked.

“You’re serious?” stiles asked, surprised. Everyone blinked.

“What do you mean?” derek prodded. Stiles sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. 

“The bite does change people, i mean look at you three, jackson, and scott.” stiles said, shrugging. “I mean, obviously i didn’t know you guys before this, but i knew scott and what jackson was like. Now, scott’s barely around, and jackson’s nicer. Marginally, but it’s there. And don’t get me wrong, i’m happy for you guys to have gotten it, but can you honestly say you didn’t change after getting the bit?” stiles asked, raising an eyebrow. The betas blinked at him, derek blinked at him.

“He’s right.” boyd said, yawning. No one had an argument to that, surprisingly. Boyd didn’t talk very often, but when he did it wasn’t something to be argued.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The rest of that week passed by quickly until friday, on which most of the pack had been congregating at the loft. It was pack bonding, and everyone was expected to join. Not that stiles had a problem with that, but still. 

“So, how long have you and my brother been together?” laura asked, that night, stiles blinked at the question. 

“Um, officially? Like, a week i think, maybe two? But we’ve known each other for months.” stiles admitted, ignoring derek on the couch next to him, looking like he was blushing. 

“Oh? So you were friends for that time?” laura asked, clearly interested. “That’s so cute! Friends for months until you let your real emotions surface!” laura all but cooed… stiles chuckled.

“Sure.” he agreed. “That’s what happened.” he said, just to appease laura. He forgot, though, for a second that laura was a werewolf… 

“Wait, that’s not how it happened? How did it happen then?” laura asked, brow furrowed. Stiles blushed. 

“Uh, i thought he hated me, we were at each other’s throats, and then until he told me i was his mate i thought he just barely tolerated my existence.” stiles said, shrugging. Laura stared at him. 

“That… is even more hilarious.” she cackled. “Bro, come one.” she teased derek, who was glaring at not only laura, but stiles too… he then stood up, abruptly, and left up the stairs…

“Um… stiles, i think you broke him.” isaac mumbled, stiles sighed standing up.

“I know… actually i don’t, but i’ll talk to him.” he said, jogging up the stairs. When he got to derek’s room, stiles couldn’t help but realize this would be the first time he was in derek’s room if he let him in…

Stiles knocked, pushing those thoughts away. 

“Go away stiles.” derek’s growled voice came. Stiles sighed. 

“You said you’d talk to me if there was a problem.” stiles said quietly, hoping the others couldn’t hear him. “Talk to me? So i can figure out how to fix whatever problem the garbage spewed from my mouth caused?” stiles asked, hopefully. Finally, there was a heavy sigh from the other side of the door, and it was being opened, stiles smiled at the alpha, stepping in as derek closed it behind him. 

Stiles sat on derek’s bed, deciding he’d deal with observing the room after he fixed whatever he did.

“So?” stiles prodded when derek just stood there for a little while. Derek sighed again, but sat down next to him.

“I guess… i just didn’t realized how much crap i had put you through.” derek mumbled. “I… i hate myself so much for what i did to you. I… if i could, i would take it back. You know that right?” derek asked, stiles nodded, letting derek hold him. It seemed the man needed the contact. 

“I know, der.” stiles mumbled. “But don’t hate yourself, please. You’re a good person. You did what you needed for your pack. And, if you need it, you’re making it up to me right now, just holding me like this.” stiles said, gently. “What happened when we first met can’t be helped, but please don’t push me away because of this. I promise i will never resent you for this kind of thing.” stiles mumbled, derek nodded slowly.

“Would… would you tell me what’s been keeping you awake for the past 3 nights?” derek asked, stiles blinked about to say something, “if i can’t lie to you, you can’t do it to me. You look like crap stiles. Like you’re about to keel over. I… i can’t help if i don’t know what’s going on.” derek asked, stiles sighed. 

“Why do you want to know?” stiles couldn’t help but ask, derek chuckled. 

“My wolf. It’s howling at me to take care of you.” derek mumbled against his head, stiles nodded. 

“Ok. it’s… it’s kind of stupid, honestly. I thought i had gotten over these nightmares. But… a while ago, when i had won the lacrosse game, i… gerard kidnapped me.” stiles admitted, derek squeezed him harder. “I… he beat me, and had me tied up… but i mean, it wasn’t anything big really. I had nightmares for a while, and thought they were done, you know? Hadn’t had one about that in a month. And then, i have more nightmares about… about when we were in the pool.” stiles said, and this time he squeezed harder, “i… those hadn’t gone away, but they were fewer. But i had one every night this week. I just feel like i’m having a relapse or whatever on them.” stiles mumbled, derek squeezed him tighter. 

“Nightmares don’t go away.” derek started with, “trust me, they won’t. But it’s ok to have them, and this stuff is still fresh. Do you want to stay here for a few days? Nothing against your dad, but you being with pack will probably help. And it’s not only me, isaac and peter will be here, and then my sisters now.” derek offered quickly, stiles smiled. 

“I was sold on being alone with you.” stiles mumbled, not missing derek’s chuckle. 

“Do you want to go back down now?” derek asked gently, stiles groaned. 

“Not really but… we do need to bond with your sisters, right? So yeah i guess we have to.” he mumbled, moving to stand up… derek nodded moving along with him. 

When they got back downstairs. The rest of the pack was there, even scott and allison… who looked ok, and thank god for that. Stiles didn’t want to hurt her, or anyone really, but sometimes you had to be firm… but also, sometimes people weren’t ready for firm. 

Derek spoke first when they were sat down. “Thank you guys for coming. I know you are all knew to this kind of thing, with being pack and werewolves in general. But packs are built on closeness. Something i’d like to keep alive, if i can.” derek added, everyone agreed. 

Stiles was pretty sure everyone felt the pack bond. Stiles did, and he was human. It wasn’t all consuming, but it was there, and then, there was a small bond to derek that he assumed was the mating bond. 

It was a good feeling, all around. 

After a while, peter wondered in… stiles hadn’t even noticed he hadn’t been here. He sat down on stiles’s other side, close. No one said anything, not even derek, so stiles assumed it was alright. 

The rest of the night was fine, quiet, or as quiet as a pack of wolves could be. 

The next day, stiles was so giddy.

“Why are you so excited?” isaac asked, stiles beamed. 

“Dude, training day. That means i get to learn from thorn!” stiles said, beaming still. Isaac blinked, but then nodded. 

“Who’s thorn?” laura asked, stiles blinked, then held up a hand to stop isaac from commenting.

“You’ll find out.” stiles teased, laura huffed. 

“Fine.” she muttered. 

Everyone got a good chuckle out of her pouting, but it was time to go.

When they drove up to the old house, which was where they trained, stiles wasn’t expecting to see the dragon, and he didn’t. 

But what he didn’t expect, as the wolves were getting into it(derek working with danny, who had shown up with jackson), was for the dragon to leap over the old house, and land in front of it… 

Everyone startled, but laura cora and malia were the most surprised. 

“What the hell?!” laura screamed, stiles laughed walking towards the big dragon. It was hilarious. 

“Guys, this is thorn. Thorn, these are derek’s sisters, laura cora and malia.” stiles introduced. 

“You could’ve warned us.” cora muttered, stiles nodded.

“I could’ve.” he agreed, before turning to thorn, ignoring the growl from malia and cora, and the laughs from the rest of them. “Can we get started now?!” stiles asked, beaming. Thorn chuckled, low and deep, but bobbed his head. 

“Yes, little one, we may start.” he agreed. Stiles beamed, cause he was excited as hell. 

Though he had no idea how they would started. The wolves had gone back to training, thank god. 

Thorn started walking away, “follow me, young one.” he said, simply. Stiles did so, he saw derek look after him, and just gave a reassuring smile before disappearing around the back of the house. 

“So, how do we start with this?” stiles asked, thorn huffed out a laugh.

“Patience, little one. I’ve been thinking on how to teach you, and obviously i cannot show you on paper as you did me. So, if you give your permission, i will take you into my mind and teach you that way. It will put us on an equal level, so i may instruct you appropriately.” thorn said, clearly waiting for an answer.

“Ok.” stiles agreed. He still couldn’t explain it, but he trusted that thorn wouldn’t hurt him.

A minute later, he was being taken into the dragon’s mind, instead of the other way around like last time. 

‘Do not panic, little one.’ thorn advised, his voice everywhere, ‘if you do, it will affect me as well. And trust me, no one wants to see a panicked dragon.’ he continued, stiles nodded(mentally, obviously.)

He took a deep breath, not realizing he had been tense, again mentally obviously. 

He instead focused on the lesson thorn was giving him.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A few hours later, and stiles was happy. The dragon language was a lot of growls and snarls, which made since. They were animals, just like any living creature. But their written language was amazingly complex. The different slash marks, which stiles now recognized as them being, meant so many different things. One slash mark could mean hello and goodbye at the same time.

It was amazing and stiles enjoyed learning it immensely. 

“Thank you for that.” stiles said sincerely, as he came back into his body. Thorn bobbed his head in acknowledgement, stiles realised that most of the wolves were around them, mainly the hales and isaac as well, the rest weren’t to be seen. 

“You’re very welcome, little one. It is most amusing to find one so enthusiastic as to learn just a simple language.” thorn mused. 

“Why do you call him that?” laura asked out of nowhere. “I believe ‘little one’ is a term of endearment to a dragon, correct?” she asked, thorn snorted a puff of smoke at laura, who coughed batting it away.

“Yes, it is. But not always. I use it now, because it fits. Is stiles, or any of you, not little compared to me?” thorn asked. 

“Yeah, but why him? Everyone else you speak to you use their names.” laura countered, stiles groaned. 

“Laura, stop looking so deep into it. Thorn’s a friend, he’s allowed to be nice to me, just like i am to him. Right, big guy?” stiles asked, patting the dragon’s leg. Thorn nodded with another bob of his head. 

“Yes. worry not, she-wolf. I am not trying to steal your alpha’s mate. There are many reasons why that is. The choice among them being i do not fancy males in the same way. Not to mention the size difference would make it, literally, impossible.” thorn said, stiles blushed. 

“Bastard.” stiles muttered. The wolves present, even derek the bastard, laughed at him. As did thorn. 

Laura at least seemed to be calmed by that, at least. 

“Oh, thorn!” stiles said, remembering the vampires suddenly. “Fuck, i can’t believe i forgot about those bastards! Those two vampires, they’re here for you. Be careful. Dragon or not, they seemed scarily confident they could control you.” stiles said, thorn snorted.

“Fate favors the bold, though they will still die trying.” thorn said, baring his teeth in a silent snarl. Stiles snorted. 

“Good. figured i should warn you at least.” stiles said, shrugging. Thorn nodded. 

“Thank you, little one. I must go now, then. I will see you at your pack’s next training session, and we may continue the lessons.” he said, standing up, and then taking off, in one fell swoop. 

Five minutes later, stiles was sitting in front of the other werewolves still present, that being derek peter laura isaac cora and malia. 

He wasn’t expecting a new voice to add to their conversation.

“Well well well, i didn’t expect you to be quite so close to the dragon, human.” all of the wolves and stiles jumped up, turning to the two figures present. 

It was the vampires, of course it fucking was. 

“How the hell?” isaac growled. “They don’t smell like anything!” he protested, sounding offended by the prospect for some reason. 

“Yes, puppy, we vampires are magical, after all. As are all supernatural creatures. We just happen to be able to control it more.” the woman agreed, grinning. 

Stiles quickly slipped on his power gloves, he could already see this getting ugly. 

“And imagine our surprise,” the male spoke, “when we not only find it interacting with your pack, but it also seems particularly fond of a certain human.” he added, looking at his claws which were… larger than stiles would’ve thought. 

“There’s two of you.” peter spoke, stepping in front of stiles, “and 6 of us. Do you really think you will win?” he asked, both vampires sneered predatorily. 

“Who said there was only two of us?” the woman asked, stiles stared at her, and then the trees behind them exploded, and 5 bodies came running in… 

“Isaac.” stiles muttered. “Call the pack. NOW!” stiles shouted, already ready to put up his barrier. It would buy them time, but not much. Isaac thankfully complied instantly. Stiles wished thorn had still been there, it would’ve been an easy fight, but he wasn’t. So, they’d have to fend for themselves. 

“As if we’d give you the chance.” the bald head guy of the alphas snarled, charging forward. 

Derek met him head on, both locked in a fierce battle of wills, snarling at each other pushing at each other. Peter collided with the women, and laura cora and malia took on the twins. That left the vampires and, whom looked like, the alpha of the alphas… 

“Flip a coin?” stiles asked isaac, since they were the last two not in battle, staring at deucalion and the vampires. Isaac snorted, shaking his head.

“I can’t take either of them.” isaac muttered, clearly upset with himself. Stiles nodded.

“Derek, switch with isaac! Isaac, just hold the big guy off until the others get here.” stiles ordered, isaac nodded rushing off, he jumped and landed a good mule kick on the guy’s chest, over derek’s shoulder. 

Stiles was still staring at the vampires and the leader. 

“So you are the infamous stiles stilinski.” the blind guy said, and he had to be blind. He had a walking cane and when his sunglasses slipped a little, his eyes were cloudy grey. 

“Yes,though i can honestly say i haven’t had the displeasure of meeting you.” stiles admitted snidely, the man chuckled.

“Joking in the face of possible death, i like you.” the man decided. Stiles shuddered. “My name is deucalion, if it interests you. And as you know, i intend to take you into my pack. How that happens, i don’t particularly care. I just want it done.” deucalion said, stiles snorted. 

“As if. Duke, can i call you duke? Like i care if you care, anyway. I won’t be joining your pack. Take your steroid infused mutts and leave, no one has to die here.” stiles said, deucalion laughed again, though this time it was dark. 

“Oh, you have no idea do you? Of course they have to die. If they live, they may talk you into staying. Pack bonds are funny that way. I will give you one last chance, come with me and join my pack, and i will even let you keep your mate.” deucalion said, sneering.

“Go fuck yourself.” stiles snarled back. Deucalion’s sneer was gone, replaced by a feral snarl as he charged forward… he was intercepted almost immediately by a giant wolf-man hybrid… stiles guessed, in the back of his mind, that that was derek… 

Not like he had time to focus on that, as he still had two vampires, who chose that moment to charge him. He put his barrier up quickly, both launching backwards. They were nimble though, and landed upright, charging again. Stiles took a quick look at the raging battle. Peter was doing well, cora had broken off and was helping isaac, but both they, and laura and malia, weren’t doing so well… 

Stiles snarled, and launched forward at the women, knocking the man aside quickly. He he used both hands and smashed down wards, knocking the women a good 2 feet into the ground, he quickly after that shot a fireball into the hole, opting to ignore the screams fro mthe women… for now. 

Because the brother was enraged, shifted into some horrifying demon like thing in his grief… stiles put up a barrier, and while it did stop the blow, he was knocked back and hit the ground hard, the man walking towards him… stiles tried to get up, but couldn’t. His leg was hurt, broken maybe… he grimaced, but stood, refusing to die lying down, he wobbled on one foot, but stayed upright. 

“You little bastard.” came the man’s deep deadly voice. “I’ll rip you apart. I’ll tear you in half. For what you did to my sister.” stiles groaned, and futily through up a barrier… the vampire crushed it easily, knocking him down… he hit the ground with a pained grunt. He expected there to be pain all of a sudden, maybe numbness from the finishing blow through his chest… but besides the pain flaring in his leg, he felt nothing. 

He looked up to see the vampire in the jaws of thorn, who chose that moment crush down, efficiently biting the creature in half, both sides falling out of his mouth. Stiles stared, open mouthed… holy hell, did that actually just happen? 

The pain caught up with him, though, and he collapsed down the rest of the way to the ground. Thorn looked worried, but the rest of the pack were there then, easily overpowering the alphas. The first to fall was the women, a slash to her throat from peter, and then the bald man from laura’s blow. Finally, deucalion and the twins were left, deucalion somehow getting backed up to them. 

Thorn approached him, and stiles used him as a crutch of sorts to walk, even though his leg flared in pain with every step… he was trying to focus his magic on healing, but it wasn’t working very well. Deucalion was snarling, and the twins actually looked terrified but were holding firm. 

“You will not kill us all.” deucalion swore. “I will take at least one of you with us.” he added, stiles sighed.

“You’ve lost, deucalion.” stiles said, leaning on thorn who, thankfully, allowed it. “Leave. There is no reason for more death on either side.” stiles added, deucalion growled. 

“I will not take pity from-!” 

“I am not offering you pity.” stiles snapped out. “I do not wish to see more people die. Enemy or not, i do not enjoy death. Can you not see that your two remaining pack members are terrified, even if they hide it well? Will you really make them give up their lives just to sate your revenge or your obsession with power?” stiles demanded, deucalion was quiet. “It’s not too late, duke. Just stop this. Please.” stiles said, deucalion stared at him, sunglasses being lost leaving only glowing red eyes. 

“How do you know i will not simply kill you after?” deucalion asked, stiles sneered. 

“Because then not only will you have a pack of werewolves after you, but possibly a dragon as well. Including a sheriff and his department. Do you truly think the three of you can win against that?” stiles asked seriously. Deucalion looked at all of them, before at the twins. Finally, he sighed. 

“As much as i hate it, i know you are right.” deucalion said, nodding. “Very well. I will leave along with them.” he agreed. Stiles nodded. 

“Then go. Don’t come back to hale land unless you have a very good reason or an invitation, which i doubt you’ll have.” stiles commanded, deucalion just nodded running away with ethan and aidan. “Is everyone ok?” stiles asks, 5 minutes later.

“Are we ok?! Stiles, your leg is broken!” isaac protests. Stiles blinked, just then the pain came back to him. He grimaced, realizing he had been going on adrenaline for a while. 

“Hey, where’s derek?” stiles asks, suddenly… “oh crap, laura peter, you guys are alphas now, right?” stiles asked, both shook their heads.

“Our pack bond absorbed it. It will have gone to derek already.” laura assured. Stiles nodded slowly. 

“So… where is he then?” stiles demanded, because he sure as hell wasn’t there. Everyone shrugged… useless. 

“His alpha form bounded that way.” thorn said, tilting his head towards the house… stiles nodded, focusing for real this time on healing his leg, putting his hands on his leg and…

The pain was awful, but it was working. He could feel it. 

“Guys!” came scott’s voice as he was finishing up with healing. 

“You guys explain it to him, i have to go find derek.” stiles said, running towards the house before he got a confirmation. 

When he got there, he didn’t know where to start, so he walked around it. 

He didn’t find him anywhere on the upper levels, or ground floor. Though, he did find a blood trail right at the door to the basement… stiles was already walking down the stairs, not caring(much) this was kind of creepy as fuck.

The basement was, in fact, just one big room. Nothing specially furnished, not that it would be with the fire. No, it was just a big flat area of concrete… if was easy to spot derek in there, who was staring at him with wide eyes, still in alpha form. 

“Hey, der. What’s wrong?” stiles asks, derek huffs. 

“Go away, stiles. I… i can’t control myself right now… i, i don’t know what’s happening to me.” the voice that came out of derek was so much deeper and rougher than usual, slurred by the fangs. 

“No.” stiles said simply, walking forward. “I’m not about to leave when you’re down here hurting and distressed.” stiles said seriously. 

“No!” stiles jumped back, eyes wide that derek had actually swiped at him… “i’m… god, stiles, please just go. I’m… i’m a monster, i can hurt you, please don’t let me hurt you.” derek’s voice was pleading, eyes flashing a bright red. 

Stiles sighed, walking forward again, derek stared at him with wide eyes. 

When he was close enough, stiles laid a hand on derek’s snout… that was such a weird thing to think in his mind. 

“Stop.” stiles said, when it looked like derek would lose control again. “You’re not a monster derek. You’re an alpha werewolf. With enough control to be able to take himself away from people he might hurt. A monster wouldn’t do that. Please, derek. Tell me what i have to do to help you. Besides leaving, i’ll do anything ok?” stiles offered, derek was shaking with what looked like barely constrained energy. 

“Let… let me claim you? Not sex, i would never ask that of you in this situation or for something like this… just, let me bite you? No turning, just- i need an anchor.” derek said, he was visibly panting. Stiles looked at him

“What happened to your anchor from before?” stiles asked quietly. Derek sighed. 

“My anchor was anger… i… i can’t keep using that now, though. I… just can’t get angry.” derek was still in his hybrid form… but stiles couldn’t turn this away.

“Ok.” stiles said, nodding. “But… be careful, ok? You’re a lot bigger than i am right now. I… your teeth can really hurt me, even if you don’t men to.” stiles said gently, derek nodded, head lowering until their foreheads touched… “do i need to bite you, too?” stiles asked next, “or just you to complete it?” he asked lastly, derek shuddered.

“Bite me too. It… it will be stronger that way.” derek mumbled, stiles nodded. 

Derek put a big clawed paw on his shoulder, and pushed the shirt away gently. He licked the skin between shoulder and neck, and very gently, bit down. He knew he had to break skin, but he wouldn’t make it hurt anymore than it would… he was already pretty much forcing this on stiles. 

Those thoughts, though, almost flew out the window when stiles did the same. A euphoria of calm washed over him. 

“I love you, der.” stiles mumbled into derek’s still furred shoulder, once they both had released their bite.

“I love you too, stiles.” derek whispered, holding the younger man closer… 

Maybe, it wasn’t as forced as he had thought.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The next 45 minutes passed, and they were still clinging to each other. 

“So, we’re officially mates right?”stiles asked after a few more minutes. Derek tensed in his arms, still wolfed out. Stiles didn’t understand why, but he wasn’t snarlin or anything so that was good. 

“Oh god, stiles. I… i’m sorry. I shouldn’t have… i should have asked if you were ok wi-”

“Derek, calm down.” stiles said, quickly. “I am ok with it. I know i’m only 17, but i did know what i was getting into. I… asked peter some questions about it, which let me tell you awkward as hell. And it’s ok, derek. I love you, and that won’t change.” derek calmed down considerable from that, nodded. “Do… can you shift back now?” stiles asked, “i like this you, it’s soft as cuddly.” stiles added, derek chuckled lowly.

“I’m sorry, my… wolf is kind of freaking out right now. Happy, now, but freaking out. I… don’t have complete control yet, so… can we just stay here for now?” derek asked, stiles nodded.

“Ok. that’s fine.” stiles agreed. Derek smiled, through a snout, gratefully.  
“To, uh, answer your question yes, we are properly mates now.” derek nodded. Stiles smiled. 

“Ok, good. Because i can, like, feel a bond forming in my mind, and i wanted to make sure i wasn’t going crazy.” that got a chuckle out of derek, still deeper, and weird pass the fangs, but… it was still nice, still derek’s laugh. 

“Wait.” stiles said, derek looked at him in confusion. “Since when can you go alpha form?” stiles asked, “and, if you can, what caused it?” stiles asked, the second question being asked quietly. 

Derek sighed, though in this form it was more of an exhale through his nose. 

“I… saw that vampire throw you around.” derek said quietly. Stiles frowned, understanding suddenly dawning on him. “I… freaked out. I transformed, threw deucalion at the rest of them, and charged the vampire… thorn got there first, though… and well, i lost control after that.” derek admitted. Stiles nodded. 

“I’m ok now, you know that right?” stiles asked, “nothing’s broken, i’m not dead. I’m still here next to you.” he tried to assure, derek nodded, squeezing him a little tighter. 

“I know. I do. But… i still can’t get the image out of mind, i’m sorry.” derek mumbled.

“Hey hey, don’t do that. You can only do so much. It’s ok to be affected by stuff like this.” stiles said, very aware of the reprimand in his voice… derek chuckled, though it was cut off by peter walking down the stairs…

“What do you want?” derek growled, peter sighed.

“Stiles’s father is here. And he wants to see stiles… and you, for that matter.” peter said, stiles nodded.

“Do you think you can handle going out there?” stiles asked, derek nodded.

“It might do me some good to be surrounded by pack.” derek said, nodding. He wasn’t shifted back, but he definitely seemed more lucid. 

“Alright, let’s go.” stiles said, starting to get up. He winced, slightly, because of his leg, but it was mostly healed now, so it was fine. 

“What’s wrong?” derek asked immediately. Stiles sighed.

“Leg. i healed it mostly, but i just don’t have the magic left to finish the job.” he said hesitantly, derek sighed, another exhale through the snout… 

And then stiles was being carried, pressed against a furred chest. Stiles just snuggled into it, happy for the warmth. 

They, stiles derek and peter who had still been there, went up the stairs again and outside. Now outside was the rest of the pack, all of them, and his dad… who went for his gun as soon he saw stiles in derek’s arms…

“Dad it’s fine! It’s derek don’t shoot!” stiles said, flailing his arms only slightly. His dad stared at him, then at derek… then sighed.

“God i’m too old for this crap.” his dad muttered. Stiles snorted. “Fine. the hulking mass is derek. What happened here?” he asked, stiles sighed.

“The vampires and alpha’s were here.” he started with, then went on to explain what had happened to the alphas and vampires. His dad nodded along, seemingly pleased with how he handled deucalion and the twins. 

“Good. i don’t want you to become a mindless killer.” his dad said, nodding. “Are you ok, though kid?” his dad asked, stiles nodded.

“Yeah, i’m fine. Thorn saved me, actually.” stiles admitted, seeing the dragon near the other wolves, crouched down slightly. His dad nodded, looking over at the dragon, before turning back. 

“So, confident that the wolves can protect me?” stiles asked, smirking. His dad snorted.

“I guess. They are definitely able to… but the fact you seem to have a dragon friend ready to help you… yeah, i guess i can trust you’re well looked after.” his dad said, sighing. Stiles laughed.

With that, he knew things would be ok.

**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed! read and review!
> 
> sorry i didn't have a summary before, or many tags! was busy with school, then busy with family stuff. so i posted this with as minimal as i could. 
> 
> but i got around to it, so that's gotta count for somethin!.


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